Indian Court Sentences Nigerian, Zambian To 20 Years In Prison For Heroin Traff!cking
Indian Court Sentences Nigerian, Zambian To 20 Years In Prison For Heroin Trafficking
The court, presided over by an additional district and sessions judge, also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh (approximately ₦3.8m) on each of the convicts on Tuesday, according to Times of India.
Aspecial court for Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Ahmedabad, India, has sentenced a Nigerian national and a Zambian citizen to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for international drug trafficking.
The court, presided over by an additional district and sessions judge, also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh (approximately ₦3.8m) on each of the convicts on Tuesday, according to Times of India.
The convicts were identified as 37-year-old Nigerian, Nwaobu Christian Arinze, and a Zambian national, Hanchabila John.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Ahmedabad zonal unit disclosed on Tuesday that the duo’s journey to prison began on September 3, 2021.
John was apprehended by NCB operatives upon his arrival at the Ahmedabad airport on a flight from Dubai, following a tip-off. A search of his luggage led to the discovery of 2.75kg of heroin concealed in his belongings.
During the course of the investigation, the Zambian national reportedly named Arinze as the intended receiver of the contraband. Following the lead, the NCB launched a sting operation that led to the Nigerian’s arrest in the city.
A formal complaint was filed against the two foreigners on February 28, 2022, for offences punishable under the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act.
After a detailed trial spanning nearly four years, the court found the prosecution’s evidence compelling enough to secure a conviction.
The judge ruled that the severity of the offence necessitated a maximum deterrent, sentencing both men to two decades behind bars. The convicts are expected to serve their terms in a central prison facility in India.
