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UWAHATI: The Nigerian national arrested with 500 gm of heroin on Saturday has told Customs sleuths that it was his love for the game of soccer
that landed him in a drug-trafficking racket.
On Sunday, Customs officials said the arrested footballer, Dike (30), revealed during interrogation that another Nigerian footballer Dania, who is based in Kolkata had promised him a berth at a local football club here if he carries the drugs to New Delhi.
"The youth said the drug was handed over to him by Dania two days ago with a promise to give him a berth at a local football club in Guwahati provied he takes the heroin safely to New Delhi. Dike also revealed that Dania was in the city at present. We have already launched a manhunt and are questioning him further," Customs department sources said.
Dike was arrested by officers of the Customs department from Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport with heroin worth over a crore, hidden in buttons of a ladies garment. The Nigerian, suspected to be a drug smuggler, was arrested moments before he was to board a private airline to Delhi with the drugs.
On the other hand, the Nigerian footballer's arrest has also brought African footballers, playing for Northeast-based football clubs, under the Customs scanner. There are more than 15 African footballers playing for local football clubs in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram. Some are also playing at the ongoing Bordoloi Trophy Football tournament being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here.
Sources said Custom officials are likely to question officials of local football clubs as well as the African players playing for the Bordoloi trophy. "Most African players registered with local clubs are from Nigeria and a few from Ghana. They might provide some clues to the racket," sources said.
They also indicated that Nigerians are known to be experts in smuggling drugs. Hence, international drug smugglers active in the North-East might use them to smuggle out drugs from the region via the city. "We may question some players, if needed," sources said, declining to divulge further details in the interests of the probe.
Football clubs in the North-East have been recruiting African footballers particularly strikers for local tournaments like state A Division and the Bordoloi Trophy as they face a shortage of local strikers every football season. A sports organizer here said, "As good local footballers are moving out of the region to play in the country's elite football clubs, the clubs here have no option but to recruit African players. Besides, it's the new trend now."
UWAHATI: The Nigerian national arrested with 500 gm of heroin on Saturday has told Customs sleuths that it was his love for the game of soccer
that landed him in a drug-trafficking racket.
On Sunday, Customs officials said the arrested footballer, Dike (30), revealed during interrogation that another Nigerian footballer Dania, who is based in Kolkata had promised him a berth at a local football club here if he carries the drugs to New Delhi.
"The youth said the drug was handed over to him by Dania two days ago with a promise to give him a berth at a local football club in Guwahati provied he takes the heroin safely to New Delhi. Dike also revealed that Dania was in the city at present. We have already launched a manhunt and are questioning him further," Customs department sources said.
Dike was arrested by officers of the Customs department from Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport with heroin worth over a crore, hidden in buttons of a ladies garment. The Nigerian, suspected to be a drug smuggler, was arrested moments before he was to board a private airline to Delhi with the drugs.
On the other hand, the Nigerian footballer's arrest has also brought African footballers, playing for Northeast-based football clubs, under the Customs scanner. There are more than 15 African footballers playing for local football clubs in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram. Some are also playing at the ongoing Bordoloi Trophy Football tournament being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here.
Sources said Custom officials are likely to question officials of local football clubs as well as the African players playing for the Bordoloi trophy. "Most African players registered with local clubs are from Nigeria and a few from Ghana. They might provide some clues to the racket," sources said.
They also indicated that Nigerians are known to be experts in smuggling drugs. Hence, international drug smugglers active in the North-East might use them to smuggle out drugs from the region via the city. "We may question some players, if needed," sources said, declining to divulge further details in the interests of the probe.
Football clubs in the North-East have been recruiting African footballers particularly strikers for local tournaments like state A Division and the Bordoloi Trophy as they face a shortage of local strikers every football season. A sports organizer here said, "As good local footballers are moving out of the region to play in the country's elite football clubs, the clubs here have no option but to recruit African players. Besides, it's the new trend now."
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