Mumbai: NCB seizes cocaine, mephedrone; Nigerian among two held

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The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested a Nigerian national and a local person from two places in the Mumbai metropolitan region, and recovered from them cocaine and mephedrone drugs, an official said on Thursday. The operation was carried out in the last two days, he said. While the Nigerian was caught from Nalasopara in Palghar district, the other accused was held from Mira Road locality in Thane district, the official said.

"Based on specific inputs, an NCB team, with the help of local police in Mira Road, caught Suffran Farooq Lakdawala and seized cocaine in intermediate quantity from him," the official of the anti-drugs agency said. On the basis on the information given by Lakdawala, the officials later nabbed the Nigerian national, identified as Blessing Edwin Okereke, from Nalasopara and recovered from him mephedrone as well as cocaine in intermediate quantity, he added.

During the operation, a unique modus operandi was uncovered, the official said, adding that Lakdawala used to travel to various cities in India to deliver the drugs, especially cocaine by air and road. He would procure drugs from various African nationals from Delhi and Mumbai. Both the accused were arrested under relevant sections of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and further investigation is underway, the official said.

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