Nigerian national and one other arrested as police bust international drug peddling racket in India

An international drug peddling racket was busted by police in Hyderabad, India and two persons including a Nigerian national were arrested.

In a combined operation conducted by Special Operation Team (SOT) L B Nagar zone along with Neredmet police, the two suspects were arrested on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 and 30 grams of methamphetamine (MDMA) drug and other property worth Rs 6 lakh was seized from them.

The Nigerian national, Chijioke Uchechukwu alias Peter was found to be illegally staying in India,  even as his visa expired in 2015.

The other accused identified as Seelam Sai Krishna of Manikonda, worked as a freelance US recruiter. The third accused Chijioke Okordo, who is currently absconding, is stated to be in Mumbai.

Both the peddlers were caught red-handed by police while they were waiting near RK Puram bridge in Neredmet to hand over the drugs to customers. 30 grams of Methamphetamine was seized from their possession.

The police said Chijioke Uchechukwu popularly known in the drug market as Peter confessed that he had recently purchased the drugs from Okordo and brought them to Hyderabad for the new year.

Sai Krishna, a B.Tech drop out came in contact with Chijioke at an OYO hotel in Manikonda six months ago after which both the accused started supplying synthetic drugs together.

Chijioke came to India in the year 2014 on student visa for attending computer courses at Mumbai, came in contact with a drug peddler in the city in 2017 and in the same year, got arrested in an NDPS case by the Pune police and was sent to prison, said Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat in a press meet on Tuesday.

In August 2022, Chijioke came in contact with the third accused in the case, Okordo, who paid him Rs. 10,000 to supply the drugs to people in Mumbai and Pune, Bhagwat added.

“Our Special Branch (SB) officials are constantly monitoring the activities and visa and educational details of the foreigners. Several foreigners have already been deported due to overstay,” Mahesh Bhagwat said.

The arrests were made under the direct supervision of Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Malkajiri, K Rakshitha K Murthy and  under the guidance of  DCP, SOT, Rachakonda Muralidhar  and other senior officials.

Further probe is ongoing.