Twenty Nigerians have been arrested in Pakistan over alleged involvement in an international drug trafficking network operating in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, with 4.432 kilogrammes of narcotics recovered during the operation.

The arrests were announced in a statement by the Associated Press of Pakistan on Wednesday, citing the country’s Anti-Narcotics Force.

The statement read, “Acting on credible intelligence, the ANF conducted coordinated intelligence-based operations at various locations across the twin cities, resulting in the arrest of 20 Nigerian nationals allegedly involved in drug trafficking and recovered 4.432 Kgs of narcotics.”

It added, “The recovered drugs comprised 1.682 kg of cocaine, 2 Kg of Methamphetamine (Ice) and 750 grams of weed.”

According to the agency, intelligence reports linked the suspects to an organised network allegedly involved in the smuggling, distribution and sale of cocaine, methamphetamine and cannabis among young people, particularly students of educational institutions in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

The statement added, “Preliminary investigations have further revealed that two of the arrested Nigerian Nationals were already on bail in a previous narcotics-related case.”

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The ANF said it had been monitoring the activities of the network through sustained intelligence gathering and surveillance before conducting the operations.

It described the arrests as a major breakthrough in its nationwide campaign against drug trafficking.

The arrests come days after Indian authorities arrested four Nigerians and a Thai national in separate drug raids in Haryana State. 

The operations, conducted by the Gurgaon and Faridabad units of the Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau in October, led to the recovery of 54.76 grammes of MDMA and 8.90 grammes of cocaine.

In August, four other Nigerians were arrested in India over alleged drug trafficking in Delhi, Gurugram and Khanpur, while three Nigerians were among four suspects arrested in July over alleged drug peddling in the country, with more than 10kg of MDMA crystals and hydroponic ganja recovered in the operation.

Source: Punch · Christabel Ndoeche

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🇳🇬 NG
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