Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Crime Branch arrested a Nigerian national early on Thursday after he was found in possession of cocaine worth around ₹1 lakh during a late-night operation in Mapusa.
According to police, a case under Section 21(b) of the NDPS Act, 1985, has been registered at Crime Branch Police Station, Ribandar, following a complaint by PI Nitin V. Halarnkar. The accused, identified as Chinedu Amos alias Victor Igwe (42), a Nigerian national residing at Baga, Calangute, was intercepted between 12:50 a.m. and 2:45 a.m. near the road behind the Bombay bus stand leading to Mapusa market yard.
During the search, police recovered a transparent polythene packet containing 10.79 grams of cocaine, valued at approximately ₹1 lakh in the international market. The contraband was seized under a panchanama, and the accused was placed under arrest at 6:03 a.m., following all Supreme Court guidelines.
Police further revealed that the accused has a criminal history and was previously involved in two other NDPS cases — Crime Branch Cr. No. 18/2018 and Cr. No. 34/2025.
The accused was produced before the JMFC, Mapusa, and has been remanded to five days of police custody. Further investigation is underway under the supervision of PI Nitin Halarnkar.
