PANJIM: With the arrest of 22 people in the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) ongoing operation against drugs cartel in Goa, at least four drug syndicates have been busted over the past 11 months. Three of the cases involved international drug cartels run by Nigerians while the interstate drug gang was operated by two persons from Kerala.
NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, in an exclusive interview with Herald, claimed that NCB Goa booked 11 cases in 11 months, the highest so far. “It is the highest number of cases where massive quantum of different drug types were recovered. Four drug cartels were busted and notorious drug suppliers arrested,” he said.
The first arrest was that of Nigerian Ugochukwu Solomon Uabuko from Assagao in March. The peddler, previously arrested by Goa Police in 2013 on the same charges, is serving a year’s jail term under PIT NDPS (preventive detention) Act for repeated offense.
In the same month that saw the federal anti-drug agency registering four FIRs, another gang was busted run by Nijllraja and NihadParamtadh Chetty.
In two other gangs operated by Nigerians, one has been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment by the NDPS Court in an offence booked by Goa Police eight years ago. Chide Ositaokonkow aka Benjamin was among the major suppliers of drugs in Goa. Wankhede said that the Nigerian operated through his Goans associates, a couple. The entire network was operated from a hotel, allegedly owned by the Goan couple in Anjuna. Sixty tablets of MDMA/Ecstasy and 350 gms of charas was found during the raid by NCB team in June 2021.
Mmdukachirah aka Tiger aka Mustafa, another Nigerian largely popular in Pernem taluka was arrested with a cocktail of narcotics. Two of his associates from Himachal Pradesh jointly operated the lethal business from a shack-cum-café in Arambol until NCB busted their gang around mid 2021.
NCB has traced the operational footprints across various countries and states including in South America, Europe, Afghanistan, Himachal Pradesh, etc. “Drugs from various places are trafficked into Goa. Cocaine, LSD, MDMA, heroine are trafficked from different countries while Malana Cream, Charas among others are domestically transported,” the NCB ZD said adding that the network is huge as the NCB are on its toes to break the chain.
