Top officials give lowdown on African nationals helming illegal trade to continue drug supply to clients in Mumbai despite a massive crackdown
Drug lord Musa who is known to surround himself with martial art-trained, sword-wielding bodyguards
Multiple operations by anti-drug authorities may have snuffed out the businesses of several drug lords in Mumbai, but it has resulted in the city’s borders becoming breeding grounds for the illegal trade, with many African nationals, particularly Nigerians, at the helm. The operators have managed to stay in India despite their visas expiring.
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A senior crime branch officer from Mumbai police told mid-day, “These drug suppliers have been staying illegally in Nalasopara, Vasai, Mira-Bhayandar, Ghansoli, Vashi and Koparkhairane as they have been chased away from Mumbai.”
The officer who requested anonymity said, “Earlier, they would come to Wadi Bunder, Dongri and Byculla to sell drugs but since the law enforcement agencies are on a tight vigil, they don’t dare enter Mumbai but do come to the areas on the city’s periphery to sell drugs to peddlers.”
Over the past months, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the city police and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have launched several crackdowns and recovered huge quantities of drugs.
A razed illegal building at Tulinj in Nalasopara East where the drug trade was carried out. Pics/Hanif Patel
Stressing the need to flush out the operators, the officer said, “It is not possible to catch them with narcotic substances but at least their documents can be verified to immediately start their deportation procedure.”
An NCB officer said many African nationals arrive in India on sports and business visas, and once their visas expire, they indulge in the drug business. “They don’t continue their stay in the city that they land in. They change cities and continue their illegal stay.”
The joint director of NCB, Mumbai zone, Sameer Wankhede said these Africans destroy their passports after entering India. “Also, in a bid to continue their illegal stay here, they commit petty crimes and court arrest as they know that the Indian law forbids deportation of foreign nationals,” Wankhede said.
“If the person is arrested in a petty crime, he will easily get bail in a few days and after coming out they continue their illegal sale of drugs,” said Wankhede, adding, “These African nationals have been exploiting the loopholes in the law.”
Hush-hush stay
The NCB source said that the African nationals forge their passports to get houses on rent. “They live in a one-room kitchen flat where they go only for sleeping and most of the time, especially at night, they are out of home. Even their neighbours do not know what they do and where they go,” he said.
Wankhede said a few African nationals had been running a call centre like business from Nalasopara. “We learnt about an African national who would take an order on phone calls from his mastermind in Africa to deliver drug consignments in Mumbai. We arrested the person,” he said.
Musa den raided
On Tuesday, NCB and Navi Mumbai cops raided the house of Musa, the biggest drug supplier to Mumbai, at Koparkhairane though they didn’t find him. They recovered a few passports, old FIR copies and other documents related to cases and a packet of some narcotic substance from the one-room kitchen apartment.
The drug seized from the flat
Deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) Vijaykant Sagar said a lot of measures have been taken to eradicate drug menace from Mira Road, Bhayandar, Vasai and Virar. “We have registered 20 cases against 51 foreign nationals after the MBVV police commissionerate was formed, of which five are for violation of visa and passport rules, and the rest are under NDPS Act,” said Sagar.
The officer said they have deported one citizen each from Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda and Sierra Leone for overstaying. “Also, we are in the process to deport one from Cameroon, and two each from Nigeria and Uganda,” he added.
Sagar said on the orders of MBVV police commissioner Sadanand Date, they began a crackdown and demolished an illegal building each in Nalasopara and Mira Road where the trade was going on. “Legal action against the owners of these illegal structures is being taken.” Crime branch DCP of Navi Mumbai police Pravin Patil said they deported 31 foreign nationals including 10 Nigerians, last year. “And this year till August 15, 17 Nigerians, 6 Ugandans and 25 Bangladeshi have been deported.”
‘Devil’s diet’
An anti-drug officer said these operators are big eaters. “They demand biryani or else they do not cooperate in the investigation. And their belly is not filled with one plate. Each African needs at least three to four plates,” said the officer. A prison officer said, “We have to arrange extra food for African inmates. An Indian needs hardly four pieces of paav but an African national demands at least two dozen pavs for breakfast.”
10
No. of Nigerians deported by Navi Mumbai police last year
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