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Pune city police have arrested a Nigerian national with possession of banned drug Mephedrone. Police have identified the suspect as Valentine alias James E (35), who was currently residing in Yewalewadi in Kondhwa area of Pune city.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of the anti-narcotics cell of the Pune city police laid a trap and nabbed James from a spot near the Purandar Medical Store in Yewalewadi on Friday.
As cops questioned him, he started giving misleading comments. Then, during a search, the police recovered 62.22 grams of Mephedrone worth Rs 12.94 lakhs from his two-wheeler. Police suspect that James was planning to sell the contraband to some customers.
Along with the contraband, police have seized a cell phone and a two-wheeler from James, stated a press release issued on Saturday.
A first information report (FIR) was lodged against him at the Kondhwa police station under sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Police inspector Prashant Annachhatre of the anti-narcotics cell said that James is a criminal on police record. “He was earlier arrested in Pune with possession of cocaine in 2020. An FIR was then lodged against him at the Kondhwa police station,” he said.
Police said James has been residing in India for the last few years. His visa and passport details and his links with the larger Mephedrone racket in the country are being investigated, police said.
