Times of India
 
BANGALORE, Jun 29: Captains of industry, actors, famous PR executives and cricket stars have all been cockily called "clients".

With help from airline pilots to captains of cargo vessels, Mereria Stephen Kaitiara Ilua alias Steverox alias Steve, a Nigerian national, has confessed to having peddled cocaine into Bangalore.

A call on his mobile, and he would supply cocaine, popularly known in this part as "Charie" or "Snow", after fixing up the time and venue.

Celebrity-drug-takers named in the report include a top industrialist from Bangalore, Bollywood actors, son of a former minister, son-in-law of a former CM besides socialite builders and cricket stars.

The revelations made by Stephen when subjected to narco-analysis by the National Forensic Sciences Laboratory in Bangalore in October 2005 have not just shocked the men in khaki but has provided explosive leads even to the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB).

"I am surprised that Stephen has made such a statement. We have not had any case against captains or pilots so far. I am waiting to see how the city police would react and what their investigations would reveal. But we can't do anything until we have substantial evidence against anybody," said Shankar Jiwal, NCB, zonal director (south), Chennai.

City police believe they are on the right track. "His revelations have opened up a Pandora's box. Many elite kids and high profile people are involved in the racket. We can't say more than this but a detailed investigation is on," said a senior police officer refusing to go on record.

City police arrested Stephen in October 2005 on charges of drug peddling. As forensic experts found the data from polygraph (liedetector) test insufficient, he was subjected to a Narco-analysis test at the Jayanagar General Hospital here by Dr S Malini, Forensic Science Laboratory assistant director, on October 6. A copy of the six-page analysis, which is with the TOI was later submitted to authorities on October 17, 2005.

After being injected with Sodium Pentathol and Dextrose, Stephen, in a state of trance, confessed that he had sought the help of an African national Aftha to enter the drug business.

In 2003, after landing in Bangalore, he started out with a leather garment business and later went into the drug trade with help and support from Jimmy, a Nairobi citizen.