New Delhi: A 23-year-old Nigerian youth has been arrested here for allegedly smuggling heroin to the United States via air courier after concealing it in especially crafted cavities in women sandals.
Odeomenan Kenneth Ozioma was arrested by the Narcotics Cell of the Crime Branch from near Janakpuri (East) Metro Station.
"330 gm heroin worth Rs 70 lakh which was very cleverly concealed in the specially built cavity in the sole of ladies sandal was recovered from his possession," Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav said today.
Talking about this new modus operand of drug traffickers to smuggle drugs abroad, he said that now the drugs are being supplied in parcels through air couriers.
"These parcels contain the objects having specially built cavities in which the drugs are cleverly concealed. In the recent times, Narcotics Cell has confiscated 400 gm MDMA concealed in a golf kit, one kg heroin concealed in pistons of car, 6 kg Ephridin concealed in piston shafts, 1 kg heroin concealed in seats of bicycle and 200 gm cocaine concealed in shoe cavities," said Yadav.
A tip off was received on April 14 that a Nigerian national namely Ozioma who used to supply heroin abroad through air parcel would be coming near Janak Puri (East) Metro Station with the contraband and thereafter would go to Mahipalpur for sending the same through air courier, police said.
"A trap was laid near Janakpuri (East) Metro Station and Ozioma a resident of Warri state of Nigeria was apprehended and the contraband recovered from him. A case under section 21 NDPS Act has been registered at Crime Branch police station against him," said Yadav.
During interrogation, Ozioma told police that he came to India in November 2009 in Delhi and started a business of exporting readymade garments and women sandals to his native country. Kenneth was not earning much in this business and was looking for other green pastures.
In the meantime his visa expired and he shifted to Mumbai, where he came in contact with another Nigerian namely Ikke at a party. Ikke got him into lucrative deal for facilitating trafficking of heroin and other party drugs.
He sent the money earned from drug trafficking to his parents in Nigeria and also started living a lavish lifestyle. On April 5, he came to Delhi and met Ikke, who delivered him a parcel containing women sandals in which heroin was concealed in the cavities of the soles.
Ikke directed him to send the parcel to an address in US through air courier. Before the parcel could be dispatched, Kenneth was apprehended by police.
Narcotics Cell is keeping close watch on this new trend of drug traffickers and all out efforts are being made to control this menace. Further investigation of the case is in progress, police said.
