Three educational institutes under watch

With five of the seven Nigerian nationals apprehended in the past 15 days in connection to seizure of cocaine and LSD being students, three educational institutes in Pune are now on the radar of Pune police's anti-narcotics cell. Pune police have received a lot of information about students in these institutes and have also noted the fact that the institutions themselves have failed to keep proper records of the students.

Cell in-charge inspector Sunil Tambe said, "Both Nonso alias Soso Honah and Ezike Obina Nicolas who were arrested are suspected peddlers. During their interrogation, names of five other suspects were revealed. We detained them but could not find any contraband from their possession."

But police found that none of these persons possessed adequate documents for their stay in India. Of seven persons, police have now deported five who were held later. Tambe said, "These people were here on a business visa and some of them had taken admission in an educational institute for a course in computer application. It means that their institutes had made no effort to check the required documents like their visas, registrations with police, foreigners registration office, their lease agreements, bank accounts details etc."

Sources said that police have now received information about students from three educational institutes in Pune, for their alleged involvement in trade of contraband substances. Tambe said, "Now, we have three names of such educational institutes. We are closely looking into the students of these institutes." But Tambe refused to divulge names of the institutes.

Police said at least three students of one of these institutes have been arrested in the cases of lottery frauds also known as Nigerian frauds. Nicolas, who was held in the second case, also had a cheating case registered against him in Panaji. "After a case is registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the trial goes on for more than one year. Many of the suspects get bail and then change the location to operate," said an officer.

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