The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Thursday arrested a foreign national in Mumbai's Juhu area for allegedly possessing MDMA (Methyl enedioxy methamphetamine) worth Rs 3.37 crore. According to an official, the foreign national, identified as Egve John was held with two kilograms of MDMA near a five-star hotel on Juhu Tara Road, while his accomplice was on the run.
"Egve John was arrested with MDMA worth Rs. 3.37 crore, while his associate is on the run. While two kilograms of the drug was found on him at the time of arrest, another 250 grams was seized from his associate's home in Nalasopara in neighbouring Palghar district," ANI quoted the ATS official saying.
A case has been registered against the foreign national under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and further investigation is underway, ANI reported.
As per a police official, though the probe revealed that the accused was a foreigner, his nationality is yet unknown as the accused destroyed his passport to hide his nationality and previous criminal records, TOI reported.
In a similar case in January this year, two other foreign nationals who were allegedly part of an international narcotics racket were arrested in Mumbai. The racket involved smuggling of high-quality cocaine from Ethiopia which was to be taken to Navi Mumbai.
Daniel Naymeck, a Nigerian national was arrested with 880 grams of cocaine worth Rs 9 crore, while police were patrolling on Saki Vihar Road. Two police sub-inspectors spotted Naymeck hurriedly walking away and when they asked him to stop he ran away. Subsequently, a team from Saki Naka police station chased him and found 88 capsules of cocaine on him.
Another Venezuelan national Joel Ramos had smuggled drugs in his stomach in the form of capsules. Upon investigation, the police discovered that Naymeck had been living in India since 2017 and was supposed to ferry cocaine to an African distributor in Navi Mumbai, which was allegedly part of a larger drug syndicate.