Hyderabad: Two Nigerian nationals and three Indian drug peddlers were arrested in Golconda on Friday, June 13, for their alleged involvement in an organised drug network operating across multiple states.
The Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB), in coordination with Golconda police, conducted a raid at a residence in Vinayak Nagar, Shaikpet, based on credible intelligence. The team seized 20 grams of cocaine, 45 grams of MDMA, 20 grams of ecstasy pills, Rs 40,000 in cash, six mobile phones, and other material.
The accused have been identified as Okoro Cosmos Ramsey alias Andy,38, Chimezie Boniface Adikea alias Roland,44, both Nigerian nationals; Veerapalli Lakshmipathi alias Lucky, 29, Romi Bharat Kalyani,40, and Abdul Jafar Khan alias Sharukh,26.
Repeat offenders met in jail
According to reports, all accused were previously booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and were lodged in Chanchalguda jail, where they became acquainted. After their release, they regrouped and revived their drug trafficking operations in Hyderabad.
Okoro Cosmos, a native of Lagos, Nigeria, shifted to Golconda after jail, where he was later joined by Chimezie Boniface. Together, they began supplying drugs in the city, allegedly sourcing cocaine and MDMA from a contact named James based in Mumbai.
Lakshmipathi, a repeat offender with eight prior NDPS cases in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, frequently travelled to Goa and Bengaluru to source narcotics. He maintained contacts with multiple drug dealers, including Jack (Goa), Mahesh and Susheel (Secunderabad), and Haleem (Bengaluru), and acted as a key link between suppliers and local peddlers.
Romi Kalyani, a resident of Goa with three earlier cases, assisted Lakshmipathi in sourcing MDMA. Abdul Jafar Khan, a native of Karnataka, helped transport drugs and connect Lakshmipathi with peddlers in Bengaluru.
Operation unraveled during deal meet-up
On June 13, Cosmos informed Lakshmipathi that he had secured 20 grams of cocaine and 30 grams of MDMA from James. Romi, who had just arrived from Bengaluru with 20 grams of ecstasy pills, coordinated with Lakshmipathi and was guided to Cosmos’s house. Jafar Khan also brought 15 grams of MDMA, while Romi sought to exchange ecstasy for cocaine.
While all five were gathered at the Golconda house for a drug transaction, police teams raided the premises and apprehended them.
Authorities estimate that the accused were supplying drugs to over 25 individuals in Hyderabad.
A case has been booked under relevant sections of the NDPS Act, 1985, and further investigation is underway.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Tamreen Sultana | 
