A Nigerian national was arrested here for allegedly trying to smuggle out dry ganja, police said today.
The arrested foreigner was identified as Ikechukwu Augustine (23) who came to India a year ago on tourist visa and was living in Hyderabad.
According to the City Task Force ACP, I Chittibabu, the accused had come to Vizag along with another Nigerian friend and a man from Hyderabad around five months back.
The trio visited tourist spots in Vizag agency area including Araku and came in contact with Raju with whom they allegedly smuggled nearly 50 kgs of dry ganja at that time.
Later the Nigerian national alone procured the over 50 kgs dry ganjafrom Araku and smuggled it from the city, police alleged.
Augustine was arrested yesterday on his third attempt to smuggle the contraband, they said.
He said that Augustine has established contacts in remote areas of Vizag with the support of few others.
Yesterday, Augustine boarded a bus from Paderu after procuring around 32 kgs of dry ganja and was caught while alighting near Dwarakanagar area in the city, they said.
The Nigerian procured the ganja at a cost of Rs 3,000 per kg in Vizag agency and he was reportedly selling it at Rs 7,000 a kg in Hyderabad.
The CTF police has handed over the arrested Nigerian to the Special Branch for further investigation.
In another raid, the CTF police arrested two persons from Gnannapuram area for smuggling the contraband. The arrested were identified as Supermani (29) and Suresh (25), both residents of New Delhi. Cops seized about 26 kgs ganja from their possession.
