Indo-Nigerian drug trafficking network in Chennai busted

NCB busts Indo-Nigerian drug network in Chennai & Bengaluru; 3 arrested. Officers seized 1.583 kg MDMA tablets, 1.615 kg cocaine, 1.9 kg MDMA, 30 LSD blots & 1.008 kg amphetamine. 15 persons incl. 3 Indians & 12 foreign nationals arrested this year.

Officers of the Customs and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have busted an Indo-Nigerian drug network that sourced synthetic drugs from France, for supply in Chennai and Bengaluru.

This is the fourth such busting of an Indo-Nigerian network supplying drugs in the city this year, by the NCB Chennai Zone.

A suspected consignment from France was intercepted by the officers at a foreign post centre in the Chennai airport premises, on October 21, 2023. On opening the consignment, officers found 3,890 MDMA tablets, (weighing 1.583 kg) which are psychotropic substances. The drug, colloquially known as Ecstasy, is popular with a section of teenagers and young adults, the sleuths said.

A further investigation led to the arrest of one Indian national M. Srinivasan, 45, a resident of Erode and two Nigerian nationals, Kingsley Obumenem, 36 and Azuka Alloysius, 38, who were residing in Bengaluru. All three were booked under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS)Act and remanded to judicial custody on Thursday, November 2, 2023.

P. Aravindhan, Zonal Director of NCB, Chennai, said the investigation had revealed that the Nigerian nationals had procured the MDMA tablets from abroad and distributed them among users in Bengaluru and Chennai.

The Indo-Nigerian networks supply synthetic drugs like cocaine, MDMA, LSD and amphetamine in cities like Chennai, Bengaluru and Kochi, officers said. In all, 15 persons including three Indians and 12 foreign nationals have been arrested so far this year in connection with the busts. Overall, 1.615 kg of cocaine, 1.9 kg of MDMA tablets, 30 blots of LSD and 1.008 kg of amphetamine have been seized by the NCB so far.