NCB arrests Nigerian with drugs worth over Rs 3.5 crore

Vadodara: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) sleuths on Saturday arrested a Nigerian national in possession of drugs including amphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy tablets with street value of over Rs 3.5 crore in the international market.

In an operation carried out on Delhi-Goa Rajdhani Express after it halted at Vadodara railway station today, the NCB sleuths arrested Peter Chinedu Okafor with 843 gram amphetamine, 255 gram cocaine, and 65 gram ecstasy tablets from his possession, NCB Zonal Director Hariom Gandhi said.

"Acting on prior information, we carried out search operation on the Goa-bound Rajdhani train coming from Delhi and arrested Peter Chinedu Okafor with amphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy drugs, together having street value of over Rs 3.5 crore in the international market," Gandhi told reporters.

The accused was carrying these drugs concealed in three lady bags, two steel pistons, one gents sandal, a pen stand and a gift pack, he said.

Three mobile phones and Rs 3,000 was also recovered from his possession, he said, adding that the accused was not clear about who had given him the drugs and to whom he was supposed to hand them over.

"From his passport it appears that he is from Lagos in Nigeria and has travelled to India on several occasions. He said he was coming from Delhi and was not clearly replying as to where he was going, though his ticket suggests that he was going to Margao in Goa," he said.

Gandhi said the passport has been sent to the competent authorities for verification and said that further questioning was on to ascertain the names of persons who handed over drugs for transportation.

"We have shared his details with the police and the Intelligence Bureau for further assistance in investigation," he said.