In a significant breakthrough, the UT Police Crime Branch has dismantled an international drug trafficking ring operating in the Tricity region, arresting three foreign nationals in a high-stakes sting.
The suspects were caught red-handed while attempting to smuggle narcotics into the area. Those arrested include two Nigerian nationals, Imoru Damian (31) and Okoye Nnamdi (31), and Toufe Yousouf (30) from Cape Town, South Africa. Authorities seized substantial quantities of cocaine and amphetamine, along with a Honda City car believed to have been used in the operation.
All three suspects were presented in court and remanded in police custody for further investigation.
According to SP Jasbir Singh of the Crime Branch, Damian and Yousouf were living in a rented flat in Kharar, Mohali, while Okoye was operating out of Delhi. The crackdown began on July 22, when Damian was arrested with 62.6 grams of amphetamine. He had entered India on a medical visa in 2021 but overstayed illegally.
Damian’s arrest led investigators to his accomplices. Okoye was found in possession of 35.8 grams of cocaine and 5.73 grams of amphetamine, while Yousouf, who came to India on a business visa in 2023, was caught with 34.85 grams of cocaine.
Police say the trio worked independently, with overseas handlers orchestrating the drug supply chain. The syndicate sourced drugs from Delhi and targeted young people in the Tricity area.
Investigators also uncovered a concerning link to a broader network of Nigerian students in Kharar, allegedly being exploited for local drug distribution.
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