Delhi police nabs a Nigerian gang that smuggled drugs inside photo frames

Heroin that's picture perfect

Delhi police nabs a Nigerian gang that smuggled drugs inside photo frames

Mark Lucky ran out of luck on April 3. The Nigerian and his local contact Ivon Xavier alias Joseph, were held by the Narcotics Cell of the Delhi Crime Branch. The recovery:u00a0 100 gms of premium quality heroin.u00a0

Around 100 grams of heroin was found concealed in the cavity of a
photo frame. Representative photo

According to a police official: "We were tipped off on April 3 about this Nigerian gang and we managed to trap them in GTB Nagar. We believe the duo had some previous connection with the Nigerian group of John Nwachukwu, who died on March 25 at Max Hospital after three packets of cocaine of 45 gm each that he was hiding inside his stomach got damaged."

While Nwachukwu went by his gut instinct, Mark Lucky had a very different modus operandi. He and his partner would conceal the drugs inside the cavities of specially designed photo frames. On April 3, when Joseph appeared at the office of a courier company and enquired about a certain parcel, he was promptly apprehended by a police team that was waiting there after a tip-off.

"On checking the parcel, 100 gms of heroin were found concealed in the cavity of a photo frame. It was revealed that the parcel was booked on March 22 by the two accused for South Africa," said Neeraj Thakur, Additional Commissioner of Police.

During police interrogation, it came out that Mark Lucky, a Nigerian National with a Masters degree in Mass Communication, had come to India in January 2009.u00a0 He initially stayed at 1/52, Nirankari Colony and later shifted to A-7C, Hardev Nagar, Jharoda Village. Here he came in contact with Ivon Xavier alias Joseph, a local

criminal, previously involved in 5 cases of motorcycle theft.u00a0

Joseph actively assisted Mark Lucky at the time of booking of the parcel and provided his own identity proof in his support.u00a0 He accompanied Lucky at the time of the booking on March 22 and also on April 3 when both were apprehended.u00a0

The crime branch has registered a case under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (43/10 u/s 21/29).

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