Hyderabad drug bust: Nigerian footballer among 3 arrested; narcotics, cars worth Rs 1.10 Cr seized

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (HNEW) team and Banjara Hills Police have busted a drug cartel and arrested three peddlers including a Nigerian and seized narcotic substances, cars, and cash.

The main accused has been identified as Ofozor Sunday Ejike alias Frank, a 42-year-old native of Nigeria, and resident of Bangalore. Other two have been identified as Anas Khan alias Anas, 31, and Saif Khan alias Saif,27, a delivery boy. Both are natives of Madhya Pradesh.

The teams seized multiple drugs weighing 256 grams, one Maruthi Wagnor car, cash Rs.2260, five mobile phones as well as packaging material-- all worth Rs 1.10 crore.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Commissioner’s Task Force/H-NEW, YVS Sudheendra, the main accused Ofozor Sunday did his Diploma in Chemical Engineering.

He said in 2016 he came to India on a sports visa and landed in New Delhi. He represented the All-Stars African Sports Club at New Delhi in Football. In 2018, he shifted to Bangalore and used to play football matches but it was not enough for him to survive.

In the meantime, he met with another Nigerian who indulged in a supply of contraband drugs. To survive in India, he started an illegal drug business in Bangalore and Hyderabad. He used to procure drugs from the Nigerians in Bangalore at cheaper rates and supply to the peddlers at high rates. He also had some direct consumers on the list.

Anas Khan, a native of MP, after the death of his father, shifted his entire family to Bangalore. Later in 2022, they came to Hyderabad and initially, he attended car shifting works from one place to another place. It was that time he got addicted to drugs. During this period, he met a lady of Calcutta and married her in 2023. She is also a drug addict and provided the contact number Ofozor Sunday Ejike.

Bulk orders were placed either by messages or voice calls to get the drugs at a low price and sell them to the abuser at a high price. He was carrying out the cartel with the help of his brother Saif Khan in Hyderabad.

Anas Khan also supplied the drug in bulk quantities to sub-peddlers who were natives of Hyderabad. They used to procure multiple drugs from Anas Khan at low prices and sold them to the consumers.

Further investigation is on.

Modus Operandi:

In this case, all the offenders are drug addicts. While procuring the different types of contraband, they developed friendships with Nigerians who are staying in Bangalore and indulging in selling multiple drugs to the peddlers, sub-peddlers, and consumers on cash payment to avoid police gaze.

Seized material:

1) Cocaine wg.36 grams

2) MDMA wg.140 grams

3) Ecstasy pills 9 Nos.

4) LSD blots 6 Nos.

5) Charas wg.32 grams.

6) MEOW-MEOW wg.41 grams.

7) Maruthi Wagnor Car Br. No.UA 07 M 5862.

8) Net Cash Rs.2,260/-

9) Mobile Phones-5

8) Weighing machines – 3

9) Spoons (small) 2.

10) Packing tape rolls – 9

11) Small-size zip lock sachets.

12. 2x3x180grams-6 Packets

HNEW requests the public of Hyderabad to refrain from substance abuse and parents are advised to keep a watch on the activities of their children to ensure they do not fall prey to drugs. Any information about drug abuse may be given at mobile number 8712661601 to the HNEW team.