HYDERABAD: The state’s anti-narcotics force, EAGLE, has cracked a multi-state drug money laundering network, exposing a deep nexus between Nigerian cartels and local hawala operators. In a coordinated operation, 24 teams raided locations in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Goa and New Delhi, arresting 20 people, including key hawala handlers. Officials seized over Rs 3 crore in cash, according to a press release.
The crackdown stemmed from the earlier arrest of Nigerian national Onyeisi Esomchi Kenneth, alias Maxwell, in Hyderabad. Maxwell, caught selling cocaine and ecstasy, had conducted over 150 transactions last year, earning more than Rs 68 lakh in commissions routed abroad to his family and associates.
Probes revealed a sophisticated hawala channel run by Uttam Singh, Chetan Mavji Mamania, Durga Ram, Chetan Singh, and Chagan Lal. After drug sales, Nigerians handed cash to Uttam in Goa, who transferred it to Mumbai through Mamania and others. The money was converted into commodities — baby frocks, kurtas, T-shirts, human hair, groceries — and shipped from Mumbai and Chennai to Lagos, laundering drug proceeds under the guise of trade. Officials estimate the racket moved about Rs 2.1 crore each week, mostly from Goa.
On June 4, Uttam was arrested in Goa with Rs 50 lakh hidden in a washing machine at his flat in Mapusa, a two-day collection. Cash seizures also included Rs 8.4 lakh from Mamania, Rs 2.85 crore from Bharath Kumar Chaganlal & Company in Mumbai, and Rs 15 lakh from another accused, Gagan. Arrested kingpins include Mamania (earlier booked in a Cyberabad cyber fraud case), Chetan and company manager Ronak Prajapathi. Co-proprietors Durga Ram and Chagan Lal are absconding.
The arrests span six from Mumbai, five from Goa, three from Ahmedabad, four from Rajasthan and one each from Delhi and Thane. Police said Nigerian traffickers often use multiple passports, fake identities and fraudulent visas. Despite deportations, many re-enter India under new identities. Authorities stressed that disrupting hawala routes and tightening visa-passport scrutiny are key to breaking the network.
‘Nigerians source from Latin America’
Police said Nigerian traffickers often use multiple passports, fake identities and fraudulent visas. Nigerian syndicates have been identified as a persistent threat in NDPS cases in the state. Officials said these groups smuggle cocaine from Latin America, traffic synthetic drugs from Europe and route consignments through courier firms like DHL and FedEx. Officials traced 33 parcels containing cocaine, ecstasy, methamp-hetamine, LSD and MDMA sent to Mumbai and Pune before being moved to Goa and Hyderabad.