Drug racket busted; 3 held

• Gang includes two Nigerians
• About 90 grams of cocaine seized

Hyderabad: Continuing the crackdown on drug peddlers, Task Force sleuths on Saturday busted a drug racket by arresting two Nigerians and a local student and seizing 90 grams of cocaine, two laptops, 10 cell phones, foot-wears, 2 SIM cards and a cash of Rs 9,350 from them.

The arrested Nigerians, Ezeh Christian Chuku alias Ezeh Peter and Nwoko Ndubuisi Kenneth alias Kenneth, both 32, residing at Hakeempet Kunta, had procured cocaine from Delhi. They had smuggled the drugs into Hyderabad through Shamshabad airport by deftly concealing the drug in foot wears. Y Sai Praveen 21, a student residing in Madhapur, was also arrested, police said.

Acting on a tip-off that the drug peddlers would deliver a consignment of cocaine near Jagannath Swamy Temple in Banjara Hills, the Task Force team laid a trap and arrested the trio allegedly with the stuff.

They were selling the cocaine at Rs 6,000 per gram. During interrogation, it was revealed that they were procuring the cocaine at a cheaper rate from an Ethiopia national, Douglas, based at Delhi. Police would be sending a special team to nab him. The two accused Nigerians came to Delhi in 2011 maintaining that they were ready-made garment merchants, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Mahender Reddy said, adding that they had rented a flat at Hakeempet Kunta. About a week ago, the duo went to Delhi to purchase cocaine from Douglas and smuggled the contraband in foot-wears.

They came in contact with Sai Praveen and asked him to sell the drug to potential customers for which he would get commission. At the time of trap, Sai Praveen was trying to dispose of the drug to one Navya Sree, a student residing in Banjara Hills. While Sai was nabbed, Navya Sree managed to give a slip to cops, Reddy said.

"Efforts are being made to nab Navya Sree and Douglas who are still at large," he added.