Nigerian national arrested for preparing drugs at a rented house in the city

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The anti-narcotics wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested a foreign national for allegedly making synthetic drugs in a pressure cooker and selling them in the city and other states in the country, the city police said on Friday.

The accused has been identified as Benjamin, a native of Nigeria. According to the police, MDMA worth Rs 10 crore and chemicals used for its manufacture, and other equipment including chemical acids were seized.

The police further said that the accused used to prepare the synthetic drug in a pressure cooker using raw materials at his home in Avalahalli here.

"He used to sell these drugs to customers and suppliers across the cities, states and in a few cases, other countries too. Earlier, he was arrested for selling 100 grams of MDMA at the Ramamurthy Nagar police station area. However, during the investigation, it was revealed that he was running a small drug factory in his house in Avalahalli," the police added.

Police also revealed that the business visa of the accused, who came to India, expired in 2022.

"However, in 2021, he rented a house and lived in the city to start a textile business. The accused was also earlier arrested in Hyderabad," the cops added.

Five kgs of MDMA worth Rs 10 crore, raw materials for making drugs, a pressure cooker, stove, gas cylinder, one mobile phone and a two wheeler have been seized from the accused.

A case has been registered against the accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), 1985 and Foreigners Act at the Ramamurthy Nagar police station. The court has remanded the accused to police custody till November 20, top cop said.