Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Dec 17: The Mangaluru City Crime Branch (CCB) police have successfully arrested a Nigerian national who was supplying banned narcotic substances, particularly cocaine, to Mangaluru.
The accused, Michael Okafar Odikpo ,who resides in Goa, was apprehended with 30 grams of cocaine.
Details of the case
In March 2024, cocaine was purchased from Goa and was being sold illicitly in the Ulla Taluk area, specifically near the Elayar Pada playground in Ambalomogaru. The CCB police had earlier apprehended two individuals from Ambalomogaru, namely 1) Sadakat YU alias Shan Nawaz and 2) Mohammed Ashfaq alias Ashfa, who were found selling 34 grams of cocaine along with other assets worth a total of Rs 2,72,000. A case was registered at the Sen Crime Police Station.
During the investigation, Mangaluru CCB police collected information about the drug supplier in Goa and traced the accused to North Goa, specifically the Calangute area. The police arrested the Nigerian national, identified as Michael Okafar Odikpo, aged 44, residing at Room No. UGF-2, Near Om Ice-cream parlour, Sodiem Soilim, North Goa, with the following seizures:
- 30 grams of cocaine
- A Boleno car used for transportation
- Two mobile phones
- Cash amounting to Rs 4,500
- Digital weighing scale
The total value of the seized assets is estimated at Rs 11,25,000. The accused has been handed over to the Sen Crime Police Station for further legal action.
Background of the accused
Michael Okafar Odikpo, a Nigerian national, arrived in India on a business visa in 2012 and initially stayed in Mumbai for about a year and a half. He later moved to Goa, where he has been involved in the sale of narcotic substances. The accused is already facing three drug-related cases in Goa.
The operation to arrest the accused was led by ACP Manoj Kumar Naik, with the participation of Police Inspectors Shyam Sundar HM, PSI Sharannappa Bhandari, and the CCB team.