Nigerian man, two South African women and a Zambia woman arrested at India Airport for drug trafficking

The Narcotics Control Bureau arrested four African nationals including a Nigerian man, two South African women and a Zambian woman for drug trafficking at Indira Gandhi International Airport, India in two separate incidents on Saturday, July 29.



In the first incident, the drug enforcement agency got to know through a local intelligence report, which informed that a South African national will fly to Johannesburg from Delhi via Etihad Airlines and is suspected to smuggle Ephedrine.

A team was formed headed by Madho Singh, zonal director of NCB and the woman was intercepted.

"The South African woman identified as Patricia Sakhile Ncube and her Nigerian friend Johnson were intercepted at the departure area. She carried 10 kilogram of Ephedrine, which was concealed in the bag. She and her friend was subsequently nabbed," said Taj Hassan, Deputy Director General of NCB.

During interrogation, Patricia stated that she was going to Johannesburg through Abu Dhabi and her friend Johnson had come to see her off. She came to India on July 25 and was received by Johnson and was staying at her friend's place in Delhi. "Both were nabbed immediately," Hassan said.

In the second incident just 12 hours before Patraicia and Johnson was nabbed, another team of NCB sleuths headed by Superintendent Tulika Morang nabbed another South African national for carrying Pseudoephedrine. The woman was identified as Mandaba Violet Xaba. She was to depart from IGI airport to Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Airlines.

As Xaba arrived at IGI airport, the team intercepted her and five-kg of white colour crystalline was recovered.

"Pseudoephedrine was found concealed in the bottom of her bag. During interrogation, she said that she came to India on July 13. She was picked up by a Nigerian national Feddy. ," Hassan said.

"Xaba used to work at a saloon in South Africa, whose owner had lured her into the drug trade by promising her 10,000 rands for the deal. She had come to Delhi on July 13 and made contact with a Nigerian woman, identified as Feddy," the NCB officer added.

The bureau is now carrying out raids across the national capital region to nab the associates of the arrested accused.

Also on Saturday, Zambian national was arrested from Airport for allegedly trying to smuggle out 17 kilogrammes of banned drugs worth Rs 36 lakhs outside the country. The Zambian woman was identified as Doris Mwansa and she was nabbed about to board a flight for Addis Ababa.