NCB seeks to rein in foreigners particularly Nigerians

New Delhi, June 9 (UNI) The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is in touch with the immigration authorities over the increased activities of Nigerians and other foreigners, who use Delhi as transit for drug trafficking.

In the past one year, different drug enforcement agencies in the Capital have arrested over 24 African nationals, many of them students, and found some of them to be overstaying on their tourist visas.

''We are aware of the role of some Nigerians, but there are nationals of other countries too, who are involved in drug trafficking," K C Verma, director-general of NCB, said.

Mr Verma said these people have misused the country's hospitality and overstayed on tourist visas.

''We are in touch with the immigration authorities on this issue,''he said.

The NCB top official said some Israelis are also under the scanner for their involvement in the illegal cannabis trade. The Israelis, like Africans, come here on tourist visas and some of them have been found to be overstaying in Himachal Pradesh.

Sources in the NCB, however, said that criminal activities by Nigerians were on the rise in India.

The Delhi Police, late on the night of June 4, arrested and recovered narcotics from three Nigerian nationals David, Tobu and Abdullah from the Munirka area of South-west Delhi following the interrogation of Sahil Zaroo, who had allegedly procured heroin for the late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan's son Rahul Mahajan and his aide Bibek Moitra.

Based on disclosures made by these arrested Nigerians, Nine more Nigerians including Michael Ofori Danagogo were arrested by the Delhi Police from various places in Delhi for narcotics related offences.

''The detention of Nine Nigerian nationals in Delhi only reaffirms that drug cartels are increasingly using foreign students studying in Mumbai and Delhi, mainly Nigerians, as dealers and couriers to smuggle cocaine,'' said a Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) official.

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