60% of Nigerians’ drug clients are Goan - ToI

Bindiya Chari| Jul 15, 2016, 03.34 AM IST
PANAJI: The arrest of two Nigerians, allegedly for drug possession, by Porvorimpolice on Monday night opened a Pandora's Box. Police have come in possession of a long list of call details of the two accused bearing phone numbers of their regular buyers, which has revealed that the majority of the people purchasing drugs from them, around 60%, are locals.

Nigerian nationals, Emmanuel Nkeoga Chide alias ND, 38, and Nwato Ambrose, 32, were arrested for allegedly being in possession of 2 kg of ganja worth Rs 2 lakh.

Porvorim PI Jivba Dalvi, who spearheaded the raid, said DGP Muktesh Chander has specifically instructed them to use this opportunity to create awareness on drugs and counsel addicts whose telephone numbers figured in the list.

"Accordingly, we have started calling drug users to the police station to tell them to stay away from drugs. Youth are called along with their parents to inform the latter about their children's drug habit," said Dalvi, who added, "Some parents were in the dark about their children's drug habit till we told them."

The list contains over 500 telephone numbers, and so far Porvorim police have spoken to 27 persons, he said.

Any person whose number figures on the list, and has made more than 50 calls, are asked to come to the police station. "We chat with them. Ask them to give up their drug habit," said Dalvi. A few who have been interviewed told us that they smoked occasionally, and some have already quit drugs.

The call records show there have been persons who called the two from other parts of the country such as Mumbai, Delhi.

Porvorim police have also dug into the antecedents of the two, and written to the foreigner regional registration office (FRRO). "Both the accused entered India on business visa. We want to know what kind of business they had sought to do in Goa," he said.

ND has been staying in Goa since 2010, and was married to an Indian, a woman from Darjeeling, and has a six-year-old daughter. His wife lives with the daughter in Darjeeling. She will also be questioned, said Dalvi.

ND was arrested in 2015 for allegedly being found in possession of a narcotic substance, but got out on bail. Ambrose came to India in March 2015, also on business visa, which is valid till November 2016.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/60-of-Nigerians-drug-clients-are-Goan/articleshow/53217629.cms