Mumbai: The Dongri police on Friday invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against four Nigerian peddlers arrested in a case in February this year.
Police said the move is aimed at ensuring a stricter crackdown against the growing menace of Nigerian peddlers, who over the last couple of years have taken to assaulting policemen during anti-drug peddling operations. According to the police, the three accused, Okpala Chigbo Benedict (28), Turre Musa (28) and Remond Anite (23), were arrested by their Dongri counterparts on February 23, while possessing 173 grams of Mephedrone worth Rs5.19 lakh.
The fourth arrest of Ique Chickweni Emanual (28) was made four days later and further seizure of 78 grams Mephedrone worth Rs1.74 lakh was made. Since all four accused were history sheeters with drug possession cases registered against them, the Dongri police sought the approval of their superiors to invoke the MCOCA against them.
The Act demanded that at least one of the arrested accused be chargesheeted for two prior offences, and that there be evidence to indicate that the offence was an act of organised crime for pecuniary gain. “As per the procedure of the MCOCA, we produced the four accused before the MCOCA court on Friday and they have been remanded in police custody till April 22,” DCP (Zone I) Abhishek Trimukhe said.