Illegal Nigerian national held with drugs worth ₹11.6 lakh in Taloja

The accused – identified as Boniface Emenike –was residing at Srikrupa Residency building in sector 2, Taloja.

Navi Mumbai: A 45-year-old Nigerian national, who neither had a valid passport nor a visa, was arrested in Taloja for allegedly possessing 116 grams of mephedrone (MD) worth ₹11.6 lakh.

“Acting on a tip-off, we raided the flat of the accused,” said police inspector Basit Ali Sayyed from Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC). “Emenike initially evaded us, however, later, he was nabbed from within the society. He came to India using a business visa for selling apparel and started peddling drugs. In 2022, the Thane police arrested him in Mumbra in a peddling case. A few months ago, he came out on bail and restarted peddling.” (Image for representation)

The accused – identified as Boniface Emenike –was residing at Srikrupa Residency building in sector 2, Taloja.

“Acting on a tip-off, we raided the flat of the accused,” said police inspector Basit Ali Sayyed from Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC). “Emenike initially evaded us, however, later, he was nabbed from within the society. He came to India using a business visa for selling apparel and started peddling drugs. In 2022, the Thane police arrested him in Mumbra in a peddling case. A few months ago, he came out on bail and restarted peddling.”

Though he claimed to run a clothes business, the police have not found any proof of it, said the officer, adding, “Most of the foreign drug peddlers enter India on a business visa under the pretext of selling clothes.”

“Paul is on the run and we are trying to trace him. As of now, he could escape from the country and we suspect that he is still in the city,” Sayyed said. “The owner of the flat had followed the protocol while renting out his flat. He had informed the local police about the stay of a foreign national at his flat. We would also be interrogating the owner of the flat to get more information.”