Six people, including two Nigerians and a woman, were arrested by the Delhi Police after dismantling an international drug syndicate in Bengaluru, officials said on Wednesday. Nearly 7 kg of narcotic substances valued at Rs 21 crore, the police said, adding that they were mainly run by the residents of Kerala who were operating from Bengaluru.
The accused were identified as Suhail A M (31) and Sujin K S (32), both natives of Kerala; Nigerian nationals Tobi Nwoyeke (35) and Chikwado Nnake Kingsley (29); and a Bengaluru-based couple, Md Zaheed (29) and his wife, Suha Fatima, alias Neha (29), police said.
“The gang had a supply chain in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Kerala, with Nigerians as suppliers and the Bengaluru-based accused handling financing and distribution,” said Harsh Indora, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime).
“The syndicate allegedly targeted students, IT professionals, and other young people in South India,” he added.
Acting on a tipoff from the Kerala Police, the Crime Branch unit mounted surveillance on Suhail, a history-sheeter wanted in multiple NDPS cases.
According to the officer, on July 19, the team received information regarding Suhail’s whereabouts in Delhi.
The location of Suhail, along with his aide Sujin, was tracked down to a guest house in the southwest of the city, after which a raid was conducted, and nearly six kilograms (5,950 grams) of methamphetamine were seized from the duo.
During sustained interrogation, they disclosed that they were supplying the contraband from Delhi to Bengaluru and other parts of Kerala. They also revealed that their source was a Nigerian national who operated through social media and other online platforms. Based on this, the team traced a Nigerian suspect in Delhi. After days of searching, the team got a lead about a man staying in the Mohan Garden area.
Subsequently, the police got their hands on the Nigerian national Tobi Nwoyeke in Chhatarpur with nearly 930 grams of smack, who revealed their links to Suhail, the syndicate’s key player, and a Nigeria-based kingpin. Based on the input by Tobi, the officers arrested Bengaluru couple Fatima and Zaheed, who financed consignments, and another Nigerian, Kingsley, from Greater Noida.
The police said Suhail, who turned trafficker after returning from Dubai in 2019, expanded his network. In total, 6.9 kg of meth worth over Rs 21 crore was seized in the multi-state operation.
The DCP said an investigation into this case is ongoing by the team, and further details are awaited.