Okonkwo: nabbed for cocaine trafficking

A Nigerian identified as Monday Tony Okonkwo has been arrested by the India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for importing 1.3 kilograms of fine quality Colombian cocaine to the Asian country.

The cocaine, stashed in 90 capsules was recovered from the stomach of the accused after an X-ray confirmed the presence of foreign bodies in his stomach.

Times of An India quoted Rajender Pal Singh, deputy director general, NCB as saying, “When we conducted a thorough search of his body and baggage, he denied having any drugs or banned substance with him. However, the NCB team got suspicious when he said that he had come to India regarding his business of wigs and hair, but was found travelling on a tourist visa.”

He added that Tony was taken to Safdarjung hospital where an X-ray confirmed the presence of foreign bodies in his stomach. During interrogation, the man revealed that he had ingested the drug capsules at a guesthouse in Lagos.

“The accused said he took around three hours to ingest the capsules and then took a flight to Lome. He then traveled to Addis Ababa from where he boarded a flight to New Delhi. His passport has corroborated the claims,” Singh said.

He said Okonkwo was supposed to deliver the drugs to another distributor who would have contacted him once his Indian number was active.

“We are on the lookout for his handlers based in India and Nigeria,” Singh added.

According to him, NCB believes the cartel is being run by a group based in Peru or Bolivia and is the same one that had employed a Brazilian woman earlier to carry the contraband in swallowed packs.

He suggested that the consignments were first taken to Sao Paolo, Brazil and then distributed throughout west African countries through carriers while the  drug was brought to India via Ethiopia or Abu Dhabi.