Navi Mumbai: Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has nabbed 21 Nigerians in two different raids and seized drugs worth Rs 1.22 crore from them. The raid was conducted by Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) and Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of Navi Mumbai Crime Branch.
ANC and around 150 police personnel raided two community kitchen operated exclusively for Nigerians in Kharghar called Lemon Kitchen and Gemini Kitchen, while a party was going on. The raid was conducted on Monday at around 1 am.
“We had received a tip about a drug and alcohol party planned in this community canteen which is run by an African lady. Accordingly we raided the place and also booked the lady who was running it after we seized drugs in the party,” said the senior Police inspector of (ANC) Sandeep Nigade.
A total of 20 Nigerians comprising male and female were found to be in possession of Mephedrone drugs worth Rs 26.66 lakhs and alcohol worth Rs 22,000. Even as both the raided places were ideally just meant to be a canteen for African residents, the canteens hosted late night parties which derved alcohol and drugs.
“The canteen was run out of a row house in Kharghar and we have booked the owner as well who rented out the space. The owners need to follow certain protocol and norms while leasing out premises to foreign nationals including submission of documents such as valid Passport, submission of C Forms with the immigration office along with having a valid rental agreement” added Nigade.
Of the 20 arrested, seven accused were arrested under section 65 E) of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, section 14 (A) (C) of foreigner’s act and section 5 of Foreigners Registration Act for not having valid Visa. The remaining foreign nationals were additionally booked under the Narcotics drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) 1985 section 8(k) and 22 (K) and 29 for the possession of drugs.
Meanwhile in another incident AHTU nabbed another Nigerian from Ulwe for being in possession of 410 grams Cocaine valued around Rs 1.02 crores in International market. “In the year 2019 as well, he was nabbed by Thane police for a similar case and now again he is found to have repeated the offence,” senior police inspector Prithviraj Ghorpade from AHTU said. The accused was nabbed on Tuesday from his residence in Ulwe after the police received a tip.
In both the cases, police are further investigating the source of the drugs found in the possession of the accused.
