Int’l drug cartel busted, 3 held with 14.5 kg methaqualone worth Rs 60 cr

New Delhi: The Special Cell of the Delhi Police busted an international drug cartel with the arrest of three foreign nationals. Cops have recovered 14.5 kg of methaqualone from their possession, officials informed on Friday.

The accused persons have been identified as Nnamani Ahukajude (44), Franck Oumarlbrahim (40), and Chinezie (34). Frank is a native of Cote-d-Ivoire, residing in UP’s Greater Noida while the other two are Nigerian nationals, the cops said. The value of recovered methaqualone is more than Rs 60 crore in the international market.

According to Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) HGS Dhaliwal, there was information about the indulgence of several Delhi-based persons of African origin in drug trafficking in parts of the country from Delhi-NCR. Later, members of the drug cartel in Delhi-NCR were identified.

Meanwhile, specific information was received on March 4 about arrival of a Nigerian national with a consignment of methaqualone near a petrol pump at Dhaula Kuan-Gurugram Expressway. Accordingly, a team was constituted and a trap was laid near the petrol pump, Dhaliwal said.

At about 11.40 pm, Nnamani Ahukajude with a trolley bag appeared from Dhaula Kuan’s side and stopped near metro pillar 99 at the Delhi-Gurugram expressway. After waiting for 5 minutes, he started moving and was surrounded and apprehended by the members of the team. A search of his trolley bag was conducted and 4.680 kg methaqualone was found concealed in cardboard boxes wrapped by cloths, which was seized, Dhaliwal confirmed.

During the interrogation, Nnamani Ahukajude disclosed that he was a member of the drug cartel being run by persons of African origin in Delhi-NCR. He also revealed that he had procured the recovered drugs from Frank Oumarlbrahim of Cote-d-Ivoire residing in Greater Noida.

Franck, driving a Corolla Altis, was nabbed on March 5 near Mata Channan Devi Hospital, Janakpuri at the instance of Nnamani Ahukajude. On search, 8 kg of methaqualone was recovered from his car. Franck revealed that he had received the consignments of the drug from another Greater Noida-based drug supplier Chinezie, who is a Nigerian national, an official said.

During further investigation of the case, Chinezie was arrested on March 6 from the Vasant Kunj area and 1.250 kg of methaqualone was recovered from the bag he was carrying. A search of his rented house in Greater Noida was conducted and 570 grams of methaqualone was recovered from there, Dhaliwal also said.

On sustained interrogation of the drug suppliers, it was revealed that they used to exchange drugs mostly in INA Market, Vasant Kunj Mall, Janakpuri, and Vikaspuri in Delhi. Arrested three have also disclosed sending drugs to Bangalore and Mumbai from Delhi-NCR through their carriers. Their modus operandi is that they send their carriers to Bangalore via Ahmadabad only by long-route buses which they board at Dhaula Kuan, Delhi. All the three arrested drug suppliers have been illegally staying in India without valid travel documents,” H.G.S. Dhaliwal, Special CP, Special Cell, said.

Efforts are being made to identify and arrest the remaining members of the drug cartel, the official added.