By Henry Okonkwo
Ekwunife Nwagbo, a Nigerian based in India, has been arrested by Indian authorities over his alleged connection with the seizure of 31 kg of heroin worth over N12 billion.
According to reports, the 28-year-old Nigerian who lived in the capital city of New Delhi was arrested after Indian police confirmed that he has been in constant contact with a drug baron from Pakistan from where the consignment was allegedly sent.
The Indian police authorities in their statement on Saturday, said Mr Nwagbo’s rented apartment at Uttam Nagar in New Delhi was raided after it was learnt that the heroin seized was meant to be delivered to him.
India’s Superintendent of Police of Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), Sunil Joshi, disclosed that Mr Nwagbo was in touch with a Pakistani handler who would pass instructions to him regarding the delivery of the narcotics in Delhi.
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He said, “Mr Nwagbo was living in Delhi on a fake identity. He was in direct touch with the Pakistani handler who would supply him with instructions regarding who would deliver him the drug in Delhi and where…As per the tip-off, the drug was dropped on the Gujarat coast. We are yet to ascertain as to where exactly on the Gujarat coast it was dropped”.
The officer said they acted on a tip-off that a drug mafia based in Pakistan’s Karachi, Haji Anwar, had dispatched the heroin via sea route which was offloaded on India’s coast. The drug was kept in a village in Rajkot district and was supposed to be taken to Delhi to be delivered to the Nigerian.
According to the police, international (drug) cartels have adopted a new modus operandi of the “dead dropping” of a consignment.
“Mr Nwagbo had rented a separate house to receive delivery of the contraband which he could sell later. He has been remanded in custody for 12 days. The interrogation will focus on the period of the criminal activity of the accused and to whom and where he had sent illegal drugs. The ATS is also trying to unravel how the Nigerian received the delivery of narcotic drugs and who else was involved”, the police said.
