PANJIM: Two Nigerians and a Goan were arrested in a drug raid conducted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the northern coastal belt, in a span of 24 hours.
The joint team of NCB Mumbai and Goa were attacked by the peddlers as the latter made desperate attempts to escape from the raided spots. Three officers injured in the hand-to-hand combat are out of danger.
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In the two operations, the NCB intercepted three persons at various locations and seized a total 60 tablets of Ecstasy/MDMA (commercial quantity), 350 grams of Nepali Charas and 20 blots of LSD (commercial quantity). The investigation teams have also cracked down on their modus operandi including digital method of payment to evade the law.
In the first raid, NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhade said that on the basis of reliable information, the team conducted a raid at Gaum Waddo, Anjuna and seized 37 tablets of Ecstasy/MDMA and substantial quantity of Charas. Roque Jose Fernandez, a notorious drug peddler of North Goa was the first to be taken into custody in the raid on June 28, 2021.
In a follow-up operation, a team of NCB recovered 350 grams of Nepali Charas hidden in his scooty parked at Pamela Palms, Anjuna. Nepali Charas, imported from Nepal is pure form of Charas and expensive than Indian Charas.
“On preliminary disclosure of Roque, a joint team of NCB Mumbai and Goa intercepted one Nigerian namely Chidi Osita Okonkwo alias Benjamin with 23 tablets of Ecstasy/MDMA. Benjamin was intercepted after chasing approximately 500 metres by foot in the jungle. During the operation, three officers of NCB were injured. They are out of danger,” Wankhade said.
Benjamin is said to be the main supplier of the drugs while Roque was earlier booked in two NDPS cases and is presently out on bail. He is the owner of a hotel at Anjuna.
The NCB further said that Roque operated the drug racket (Ecstasy) from his ice-cream parlour-cum-grocery store.
Orders for narcotics were booked from his ice-cream parlour and he delivered the ordered drugs at mentioned addresses from one KS Guest House at Anjuna. Payments towards these drugs were done digitally.
Roque has allegedly also provided drugs to tourists and the consumers in front of the guest house. “Some complaints have been received from the neighbours of the guest house and some tourists regarding the peddling of drugs by the accused,” the NCB officer said.
In the second operation, the NCB Mumbai and Goa sleuths intercepted another Nigerian Onayeka Egike and seized 20 blots of LSD at Bardez. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused adopts unique modus operandi — a password to identify genuine customers — to deliver the drug consignment. He would change his location of delivery multiple times and to ascertain genuineness of his customer, the Nigerian would make him/her wait for 5-6 hours. The NCB zeroed-in on him through systematic planning and seized his two-wheeler used for delivery of drugs besides huge quantum of drugs found from him.
The peddler was earlier booked in an NDPS case in the year 2019 by Crime Branch, Goa and is presently out on bail.
