Navi Mumbai: Nigerian food outlets selling drugs busted in Kharghar

More than 150 police officers were involved in the operation on Monday night

The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch conducted raids at two "Nigerian kitchens" in Kharghar, arresting 20 Nigerian nationals. Led by Navi Mumbai Commissioner of Police Milind Bharambe, over 150 officers and a forensic team took part in the operation. The Crime Branch seized mephedrone worth R23,77,500. More details are awaited.

According to the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch, the kitchens, identified as ‘Lemon' and ‘Gemini', were run by the Nigerian drug syndicate in Kharghar for the past few months, offering African food and organising drug parties. "We had specific information, and based on that, raids were conducted on Monday night, leading to the arrest of 20 Nigerians, including both men and women," said ACP Ajaykumar Landge of Navi Mumbai Crime Branch.

According to Sandeep Nigade, senior police inspector from the Anti-Narcotics Cell (Navi Mumbai police), a total of 107 gram of mephedrone worth over R23 lakh was seized during the raids. Officials discovered that many of the accused have multiple criminal cases against them, and some were staying in India illegally despite their visas having expired.

The Crime Branch is now investigating the syndicate's network, which supplies narcotics in Navi Mumbai and nearby cities. Officials stated that this was a large syndicate operating from Kharghar, which has now been dismantled.