After months-long investigation, police officials with the Central Crime Branch’s Anti-Narcotics Wing arrested a Nigerian national, believed to be the kingpin, who allegedly supplied cocaine to various drug peddlers in the city. He has been remanded to police custody for five days and has been booked under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
In the early hours of Tuesday, a team of CCB sleuths arrested Chidiebere Ambrose alias Chief, from his rented house in Bengaluru’s Banaswadi after conclusive information regarding his whereabouts. The investigation into the cocaine suppliers in Bengaluru began several months ago and the CCB made a series of arrests of Nigerian nationals in different drug-related cases.
“The kingpin of cocaine supply in Bengaluru Chidiebere Ambrose aka Chief was in touch with all Nigerian drug peddlers arrested earlier. They bought cocaine from the Chief,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil said.
Investigators said that Chidiebere Ambrose allegedly procured drugs either from the dark net or through suppliers in Mumbai. “In some cases, the drugs were brought from African countries to Mumbai. These were dispersed via road to Bengaluru. Other times, Chidiebere Ambrose bought the drugs from the dark net. They were delivered in Mumbai and then brought Bengaluru via road,” a CCB official said.
The probe into the drug suppliers, CCB sources said, began after the arrest of Loum Pepper Simon, in connection with the Sandalwood drug case. Loum Pepper allegedly supplied cocaine and other synthetic drugs to people who attended high-profile parties including actors and businessmen in Bengaluru.
In September this year, the CCB arrested Nigerian drug peddler Chakvu Godwin from Suddaguntepalya in Bengaluru. They had recovered 25 gm of cocaine from his residence in Medahalli.
In October this year, the West division police arrested three Nigerian nationals and sized 123 gm of cocaine worth Rs 11 lakh. CCB sources said that the sleuths were trying to find out the peddlers’ primary supplier. After interrogating suspects arrested in several drug busts since September this year, the CCB officers allegedly learned that several of them were procuring drugs from a man they called ‘Chief’.
Subsequently, the police began surveilling Ambrose and followed his movements. After gathering intelligence on his whereabouts for over a month, the CCB officials raided his residence in Banaswadi and arrested him in the early hours of Tuesday. He has been remanded to police custody for five days and has been booked under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.