Indian authorities have declared a 46 year old Nigerian, Emmanuel Afam, wanted over his alleged involvement in the seizure of 3.3 kilogrammes of MDMA in Kerala.
The Kerala Excise Department said a Look Out Circular had been issued against Afam as investigators intensified efforts to apprehend him in connection with the drug case.
The narcotics were reportedly recovered near the Pantheerankavu toll plaza in Kozhikode, Kerala, with nine suspects already arrested over the alleged offence.
According to the United News of India, Afam was identified as an alleged key figure in the investigation but had gone into hiding.
Investigators reportedly traced him after questioning one of the suspects, identified as Hiran, whose interrogation allegedly provided a lead to a Nigerian supplier.
Hiran reportedly told investigators that he had met the Nigerian while serving time at Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in connection with another case under India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
The suspect allegedly knew the Nigerian only by the name “Frank Maxin”.
Investigators subsequently took Hiran to the prison and showed him photographs of Nigerian nationals who had been detained there during the relevant period. He reportedly identified one of them.
Further investigation by the Kerala Excise Department allegedly established the suspect’s identity as Afam, 46.
Authorities also alleged that Afam had used about 19 Indian and Nigerian telephone numbers and communicated through devices without SIM cards, Wi Fi networks and applications designed to conceal or scramble IP addresses.
Investigators reportedly obtained his travel records through the Foreigners Regional Registration Office as they continued efforts to track him down.
Afam has since been listed as the eighth accused in the case, while a Vadakara NDPS court reportedly issued an arrest warrant against him.
The Bureau of Immigration also issued the Look Out Circular to prevent him from leaving the country or facilitate his arrest if he attempts to enter or move through an Indian port of entry.
The development is the latest in a series of drug related cases involving Nigerian nationals in India.
PUNCH Metro had reported that on August 19, four Nigerians were arrested in India over alleged links to a drug trafficking network, with narcotics valued at about 15 crore, approximately N2.1bn, recovered during coordinated operations.
The arrests followed joint operations by the Narcotics Control Bureau, state police and other security agencies targeting foreign nationals allegedly involved in drug trafficking and visa violations.