The arrested has been identified as Leonard Okwudili (44)
Credit: Bengaluru city police
The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has confiscated contraband worth a staggering Rs 21 crore by arresting a Nigerian national, in what has been described as the biggest-ever drug haul in Bengaluru.
The seized contraband includes 16 kg of MDMA crystals worth Rs 16 crore and 500 grams of cocaine worth Rs 5 crore, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda told a press conference on Tuesday.
This was by far the biggest seizure of illicit drugs in Bengaluru. And it was also the first time that such a large quantity of cocaine had been confiscated, Dayananda added.
The arrested suspect, 44-year-old Leonard Okwudili, arrived in India on a business visa and lived in eastern Bengaluru's Ramamurthy Nagar for a year.
The drugs were supposed to be sold to a very select clientele during the New Year's celebrations. He was planning to supply the contraband to NYE parties, college students and techies, police investigations reveal.
According to police, Okwudili had wide contacts with drug dealers from Delhi and Mumbai, and sourced the contraband from them. Police believe he used courier services and public transport to move the drugs around. One of his common tactics was to conceal the drugs inside packets of churidar sets, bedspreads as well as soap and chocolate boxes.
The CCB raided his house in Ramamurthy Nagar after receiving a definite tip-off, Dayananda said.
Police have now summoned the landlord and taken his statement about Okwudili's background. They are also investigating if the landlord was involved.
A case has been registered at the Ramamurthy Nagar police station under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Rs 1 lakh cash prize for CCB
The police commissioner has announced a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh to the CCB's Anti Narcotics Wing that carried out the raid.