5 foreign nationals arrested, drugs worth 8.5 crore seized

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Continuing their drive against drugs, the city police seized drugs worth over Rs 8.52 crore and arrested five foreign nationals in South Bengaluru, police sources said on Monday.

The accused were identified by the police as Lawrence Ezenwoke alias Peter, Chuckwunezim Thankgod Onyekachi alias Bright, Halsey, Frank alias Sunday and Emmanuel Nazi. All five are Nigerian nationals, police said.

From the accused, police have seized Rs 8,52,34,000 worth of pure cocaine weighing 356 grams, and 3.152 kg of brown and white MDMA crystal powder. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru South, P Krishnakant lauded the efforts of the police team and added that the accused persons were remanded in judicial custody.

Arrests were made from two different locations

On April 9, VV Puram police intercepted Peter, 36, and Bright, 35, at a park in front of the National College Metro Station. The raid was held based on credible information, police said, and the duo was arrested. The police seized 103 grams of white MDMA, 104 grams of brown MDMA and nearly 13 grams of cocaine on the spot.

Based on the information from the accused, the police subsequently seized 1.740 kg of white MDMA, 1.40 kg of brown MDMA and 300 grams of cocaine from their residence in Bidarahalli. The total haul was worth Rs 7,32,24,000, police said. It was also found that the two Nigerian nationals were staying illegally in the country as their student visa had expired three years ago.

Peter was previously booked by the Thalaghattapura police in a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in February 2022. He was released on bail in September 2022 and began living in Mango Layout in Bidarahalli.

The two have been booked under Sections 8(c), 22(c) and 27(a), of the NDPS Act and Section 14 of the Foreigners Act. Similarly in the Jayanagar police made the drug bust on three different days: March 18, 27 and April 9. The three accused – Sunday, 35; Nazi, 29 and Hasley – were arrested on March 18, 27 and April 9, respectively. From the trio, police claimed to have seized 1.152 kg of MDMA and 40 grams of cocaine worth Rs 1,20,00,000.

Police also recovered Rs 2,000 in cash from Hasley and Rs 1,500 from Nazi and impounded the latter’s scooter. The three Nigerian nationals have been booked under Sections 16 and 21 (b) of the NDPS Act. While Sunday and Hasley did not reveal the details of their passports and visa, Nazi submitted both documents, police said. Further investigation is underway.