Dead drops, Nigerian suppliers: Syndicate targeting Kerala, Bengaluru busted; 6 held

All six accused have been arrested and drugs worth Rs 21 crore seized, police said on Wednesday.

The accused were identified as Suhail and Sujin (32), both from Kerala; Nigerian nationals Tobi Nwoyeke alias Deco (35), and Chikwado Nnake Kingsley (29); as well as Bengaluru-based couple Md Zaheed (29) and his wife Suha Fatima alias Neha (29).

The murky details of the operation, said officers, were revealed, as the probe deepened, including a unique modus operandi to supply drugs.“Suhail used the method of dead drops, where the drugs are dropped at a secluded place in bushes or roadside and a picture and location is shared with the receiver to evade arrest. He disclosed that he intentionally used to sell in non-commercial quantities (less than 50 gm) to avoid strict legal action. In 2024, many of his syndicate members were arrested by Kerala Police in three cases,” DCP (Crime Branch) Harsh Indora said.

Suhail’s loyal customers — the husband and wife — also played a key role in the operation, according to the investigators. The syndicate allegedly targeted students, IT professionals and other youth across South India, he added.

When the first tip-off was received from Kerala, Suhail’s location was traced in South Delhi.  “After relentless effort, Sub-Inspector Ravi Bhushan, along with his team, traced the accused to a guest house in Southwest Delhi. A raid was conducted resulting in the arrest of Suhail and Sujin (on July 20), both residents of Kannur, Kerala, who had a massive 5,950 gm of Methamphetamine on them,” Indora said.

A scrutiny of Suhail’s phone revealed that he was in contact with a Nigerian national via WhatsApp. As per his statement, this man, his supplier, lived in Chattarpur. He sold the drugs procured from him in Bengaluru, Kerala and other cities of South India.

“After checking every street and suspected houses, another suspect, Toby Deco, the Nigerian national, was arrested and 64 gm of methamphetamine (an illegal recreational drug) was recovered from him. Upon detailed questioning, he disclosed that he has been living in Bengaluru for many years and used to supply drugs to Suhail,” DCP Indora said.

“Deco used to procure these drugs from a person named Ogo alias Obichi (also a Nigerian) who runs a drugs syndicate and is based in Greater Noida. After the Bengaluru Police arrested a few of his fellow drug suppliers, he came to Delhi,” Indora added.

Suhail, who earlier worked in Dubai, returned to his home in Kerala in 2019. By then, he was allegedly addicted to meth, said police. He was also arrested in 2020 with 5 grams of meth. He then moved to Bengaluru to run a small-time supply network, a police officer said.

As the investigation intensified, it was revealed that one of Suhail’s most loyal customers in Bengaluru were Fatima and Md. Zaheed, a couple who bought drugs only to sell them further.  The couple had initially tried to get in touch with Deco directly but when Suhail resisted, they started financing his venture instead and bought drugs in huge quantities, the police officer said.

With inputs from Suhail, the Delhi Police then conducted a raid in Bengaluru and nabbed the couple from their alleged den.

“Suha Fatima and Mohd Zaheed were arrested from a PG accommodation in a densely populated area full of guest houses and PGs in the area of Bommanahalli, Bengaluru Karnataka. Fatima married Zaheed in 2023 after divorcing her MDMA addict husband, whose contacts she used to get into the business,” DCP Indora said.

The police were now after Deco’s source of drugs. Deco’s phone records showed another Nigerian number he was in contact with, an officer said. The number was then traced by the police and on August 25, a man named Chikwado Nnake Kingsley was arrested from Sector 1 of Greater Noida.

“Accused Chikwado Nnake Kingsley disclosed that he came to India in 2015 on the pretext of getting medical treatment and stayed in the country. He was introduced to the business of drugs by two of his fellow Nigerians — Chigmo and Ajuko. Ajuko is based in Nigeria and is operating his business from there through WhatsApp and other social media,” DCP Indora said.

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