55-year-old Nigerian held for drug peddling

A 55-year-old Nigerian national was arrested for his alleged role in peddling narcotics and 20 grams of cocaine recovered from his possession, police said on Saturday.

A 55-year-old Nigerian national was arrested for his alleged role in peddling narcotics and 20 grams of cocaine recovered from his possession, police said on Saturday.

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LN Rao, additional deputy commissioner of police (special cell) identified the peddler as Abdu Fatai Ashafa, an ex-plumber hailing from Lagos in Nigeria. He was staying at a rented accommodation in south Delhi’s Khirki Village. “We nabbed him from near the IDBI Bank in Malviya Nagar on August 25 after receiving information that he was to meet his colleague and the contraband was to exchange hands,” said additional DCP Rao.

During interrogation, police said, Ashafa revealed that he had visited India on a valid multiple business visit visa on pretext of cloth trading and was residing at his rented accommodation in the Khirki Village area for about two years.

“He was a plumber in Nigeria but was unable to carry-on his livelihood due to personal reasons. So, in order to earn quick money, he decided to take to drug peddling after coming in contact with local drug peddlers during his first visit to the country,” said Rao.

Police said apart from the cocaine, 9.512 gm of heroin and 1,200 kgs of ephedrine were also recovered at Ashafa’s instance.