HYDERABAD: Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Rangareddy issued an order declaring African native Valentine Joseph, involved in drug peddling cases, as a proclaimed offender. A proclaimed offender designation signifies that the individual, accused of committing a crime, has failed to appear in court despite summons and is actively evading arrest. Joseph was arrested in a drug peddling case in 2014 and had been at large since then.
The FIR reveals that the two accused from Africa - Valentine Joseph and Eze Peter Ndubuisi - arrived in Hyderabad and got acquainted with each other as they resided in the same locality - Suncity, Rajendranagar. They possessed a student visa and used it to enter the country but it was only valid till a year. However, the duo eventually got into drug peddling after learning that one person from Nigeria is supplying drugs in Mumbai. The duo headed to Mumbai, stayed there for a week and procured a drug named Methaqualone. Interestingly, the peddlers were manipulating consumers into believing that the sedative was Cocaine and were selling it to them in the city at a price of Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000. SOT, along with Rajendranagar police, received a tip off pertaining to the drug and its sale by the duo. Two police officials in plain clothes acted as consumers and devised a plan to purchase the drug from them. During the transaction, the duo were arrested and Joseph got bail in August, 2014 and has been on the run since then.
Following a series of developments in narcotics cases registered under the NDPS Act with the Rajendranagar police in 2014, authorities are on high alert as the prime accused and drug peddler, Valentine Joseph from Ghana, Africa, remains at large after he was released on bail.
Valentine Joseph, a notorious figure in the drug trade, has managed to evade authorities, prompting the deployment of Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) teams to track him down. However, investigations revealed that the two individuals who stood as surety for Joseph were found to be imposters, complicating efforts to locate the fugitive.