Navi Mumbai: In another major crackdown against drugs, Navi Mumbai police arrested a 44-year-old Nigerian national from the Ulwe node on Friday and seized drugs worth ₹84.8 lakh. The police also seized mobile phones, digital weighing tools and other materials to be used for selling the contraband.
This is the second major crackdown within six weeks by Navi Mumbai police against the sale of drugs in the city.
NRI cops raided 12 locations in Ulwe Node
Based on information received regarding the sale of drugs in the Ulwe node, the NRI police carried out raids at 12 locations in sectors 3, 5, 18, 24 and 25 in Ulwe node and arrested the accused identified as Julius O Anthony Onyekachukwu.
The police seized 706 grams of mephedrone drugs worth ₹70.6 lakhs and 95 grams of Cocaine worth ₹14.25 lakhs from the African (Nigerian) accused Onyekachukwu.
During the raids, the police found that 14 foreign nationals have been living illegally in the country. They have been issued notices to leave India under the Passport Act. Of the 14, 7 of them were female and 7 males and they all are from Nigeria and Uganda.
One of the accused also tried to escape from the police when he was being taken in a police van in sector 24 in Ulwe node. However, the police personnel chased him and caught him after some distance.
Video Shows Dramatic Escape
In the viral video shared on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), one can see the accused held by a policeman. As soon as they start walking towards the police van, the accused somehow lets loose off the cop's grip and launches a sprint away from the police.
The cops present at the spot waste no time and start chasing the accused, however one of them falls on the ground during his attempt. Others can be seen making ways in different directions to catch a hold of the accused running in the neighbourhood. However, there are no reports about whether the police successfully nabbed the accused.
A total of 350 police personnel, officials from NRI, the Anti-Narcotic Cell, officials of the Foreign Citizens Registration Department of NRI Police Station and other senior officers were present. The raids were carried out under the guidance of DCPs of both zones one and two including DCP (crime).
A case has been registered against all the arrested accused under sections 8C, 21B and 22C of the NDPS Act 1985 at NRI police station.
Ulwe node a hub of drug trade run by African nationals
Ulwe is a developing node and in the last couple of years, there has been a huge inflow of population. Foreign nationals especially from Africa take home in rent and are involved in the banned trade of drugs.
Last month, Navi Mumbai police arrested around 39 foreign nationals and seized drugs worth ₹4 crores after carrying out raids at several locations in the city.
