Hyderabad: Drug cartel busted, 2 Nigerians among 5 held; cocaine, MDMA, ecstasy seized
Police believe the group was supplying drugs to over 25 individuals in Hyderabad
By Newsmeter Network
Hyderabad: Telangana Anti-Narcotic Bureau (TGANB) and Golconda Police busted a drug cartel and arrested five individuals, including two Nigerian nationals, for allegedly running a multi-city drug supply network.
The arrests were made during a raid on a residence in Vinayak Nagar, Shaikpet, where a drug deal was underway. Officials seized 20 grams of cocaine, 45 grams of MDMA, 20 grams of ecstasy pills, Rs 40,000 in cash, and six mobile phones from the spot.
The raid followed credible intelligence about the movement and gathering of known offenders at the location.
Accused previously jailed for drug offences
The arrested individuals include Okoro Cosmos Ramsey, alias Andy (38), and Chimezie Boniface Adikea, alias Roland (44) ā both Nigerian nationals currently residing in Shaikpet, Hyderabad. Veerapalli Lakshmipathi alias Lucky (29) ā a businessman from Bhongir, with a record of eight drug-related cases in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Romi Bharat Kalyani (40) ā a real estate operator from Goa. Abdul Jafar Khan alias Sharukh (26) ā a driver from Meerpet, Hyderabad.
Investigations revealed that all five had previously been lodged in Chanchalguda jail and developed ties while in custody. After their release, they regrouped and began coordinating drug supplies across states, including Telangana, Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
Inter-State Drug Links
According to police, Okoro and Chimezie were sourcing cocaine and MDMA from a Mumbai-based contact named James and selling them to local peddlers like Lakshmipathi. Romi and Jafar Khan were also active facilitators, helping in the procurement and delivery of MDMA and ecstasy pills from Goa and Bangalore.
On June 13, all five gathered at Okoro's residence for a transaction when they were apprehended. Police believe the group was supplying drugs to over 25 individuals in Hyderabad alone.
Public Advisory
The Telangana Anti-Narcotic Bureau has appealed to the public to report any drug-related activities. Assuring full confidentiality, officials said that credible informants would be suitably rewarded. Further investigation is underway to trace the larger network and suppliers involved in the case.
