A press release from Amit Ghawate Zonal Director, NCB, Chennai said thaton the basis of specific information

a team of NCB Madurai unit intercepted Nigerian national,

namely Egwin Kingsely, at Platform number 1, Coimbatore railway station and seized the consignment of white crystals of Amphetamine. The seized Amphetamine has been procured from Delhi. The contraband was found to be concealed in 8 small packets, wrapped with carbon paper and further concealed in hisluggage. This Nigerian national is the kingpin of this syndicate and involved in drug trade for 3 years. NCB was tailing him for long time, the press release said.

The involvement of African nationals, especially Nigerians is an increasingtrend in the trafficking of narcotic drugs and synthetic drugs. Coimbatore, Salem, Erode, Tirupur have been hubs for African nationals. Tirupur being a textile hub is frequented by African nationals, who under the guise of textilebusiness, have been involving in nefarious activities of drug trafficking, NCB said.

Amphetamine is made from Ephedrine/Pseudoephedrine, a controlled substance under NDPS Act. It can be manufactured in illegal laboratories which can be established in small premises. It affects the Central Nervous System and increasingly used as rave party drug, NCB noted further.