In two separate cases, 3 foreigners held with MD, cocaine worth ₹78 lakh

The ANC has arrested a total of 132 people involved in drug cases this year, including 15 foreign nationals, and seized drugs worth ₹28.11 crore from them

Mumbai: Three foreign nationals – a Nigerian and two Tanzanians – were arrested in two separate cases for allegedly peddling drugs in the city. The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai police allegedly seized mephedrone and cocaine worth ₹78 lakh from them.

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The Tanzanian nationals, identified as Bruno Ahmed Ali and Abdulla Kombo, were arrested from a hotel in South Mumbai, where they were staying for five months. The Nigerian, identified as Chimezie Chika Edward Amaraegbu, was arrested from the western suburbs, where he allegedly stayed without valid documents. All the accused were arrested on Wednesday.

“Amaraegbu came to Mumbai in 2012 on a medical visa, claiming that he required some treatment, which we are verifying. But after coming here, he started working in the garment business. Meanwhile, during the interrogation, Bruno claimed that he came to Mumbai in 2018 for a garment business but was arrested in a drug case. After staying two years in jail, he got bail and then returned to his country and came six months ago again for a garment business. Kombo came to Mumbai around five months ago for the wholesale business of garments and shoes and this is the first case against him,” deputy commissioner of police Prakash Jadhav, ANC, said.

According to the police, the Worli unit of the ANC got information that a Nigerian bought drugs from Nalasopara and sold them in the island city. “Based on the tip-off, officials inquired and laid a trap on Wednesday and arrested Amaraegbu and during the search seized 200 grams methamphetamine and 100 grams mephedrone worth totalling ₹60 lakh. The accused lives in Nalasopara. He was procuring drugs from Nalasopara for selling to peddlers in Mumbai city,” an ANC official said.

He added that during the investigation, it has been revealed that the Nigerian has been living in India without valid documents.

In the other case, the Azad Maidan unit of the ANC raided a hotel situated on Samuel Street in Dongri based on a tip-off and arrested Bruno and Kombo. “Sixty grams of cocaine worth ₹18 lakh were found in his possession. The entire contraband was seized. Both confessed that they were working as drug peddlers for a few months,” added the ANC official.

The ANC has arrested a total of 132 people involved in drug cases this year, including 15 foreign nationals, and seized drugs worth ₹28.11 crore from them.