Delhi Police arrests 2 African nationals with cocaine worth Rs 70 lakh

New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) Delhi Police has arrested two African nationals who allegedly ran a cocaine supply network using social media for communicating with the buyers and UPI-linked accounts routed through retail shops to mask drug payments, officials said on Friday.

Police seized cocaine worth nearly Rs 70 lakh in the international market during a raid in Chhattarpur, DCP (South) Ankit Chauhan said.

The accused have been identified as Nigerian national Benjamin Izuchukwu (43) and Coulibaly Mariam (29) from Ivory Coast.

“The accused used social media for communicating with the buyers and UPI-linked accounts to route the drug money. The payments were routed through retail shops to conceal the money trail, from where Izuchukwu later collected cash. Mariam usually handled the deliveries, while Izuchukwu coordinated orders and payments,” the DCP said.

A raid was conducted at a rented accommodation in Chhattarpur on September 10, leading to the duo’s arrest and seizure of the cocaine, an electronic weighing machine and packaging material, the officer said.

Investigators said the contraband was part of a larger consignment of 600 gm which Izuchukwu purchased from another African supplier in Dwarka. Of this, 250 gm had already been sold in Delhi and NCR before the police raid, the DCP said.

During interrogation, Izuchukwu revealed that he had been living in India since 2018 and started procuring cocaine from another foreign national named Joseph in 2021.

He purchased the drug at Rs 8,000 per gram and sold it for Rs 10,000 per gram in Chhattarpur and adjoining areas with the help of Mariam, police said.

Police are analysing data from the accused’s mobile phones and financial transactions to identify their suppliers, buyers and other members of the racket.

The seizure falls under the commercial quantity category under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and a case has been registered at the Mehrauli police station, the DCP said. PTI SSJ ARI