Navi Mumbai: On the eve of New Year, the Navi Mumbai police detained 16 Nigerian nationals with drugs worth Rs 1.16 crores from Kharghar on Saturday. Police said that the seized drugs were to be used for the New Year’s celebration and that’s why they had gathered at a flat in Kharghar.
Of the 16 Nigerian nationals, 10 are male and the remaining six are women.
Police acted on tip-off
Acting on a tip-off, the crime branch of Navi Mumbai police carried out a raid at a row house number C-49 at sector 12 in Kharghar on Friday evening and seized marijuana, MD and other drugs including mobile phones worth Rs 1.13 crores.
“We received information that suspicious activity was going on in the building on Friday evening. We also came to know that Nigerian nationals were living in the building and kept a large amount of drugs that they were selling for the New Year celebration,” said an official from the Crime Branch of Navi Mumbai police. He added that around 12.30 pm, the raid was carried out.
“How did they manage to get such large amounts of drugs is being investigated,” said the official. However, he said that it was brought in for the New Year’s celebration.
The arrested people will be investigated for their criminal or drug-related background and whether they are living in India legally or illegally, said the official.
A case has been registered against them under sections 147, 149, 353 and 43 of IPC for illegal assembly and causing trouble, sections 3 (a) and 6 (a) of the Foreign Nation Act and relevant sections of NDPS Act.
