CHENNAI: City police arrested three Nigerian nationals including a couple for alleged possession of 1 kg of cocaine meant for distribution in and around the city. The value of the seized contraband is around Rs 1 crore, police said.

On Saturday evening, a patrol team of Aminjikarai Police had secured a Nigerian man based on a tip- off near Shenoy Nagar Metro rail station. On checking him, the police team found 120 grams of narcotic substance, later found to be cocaine, in a pouch he was carrying.

The man identified as Ajagu Chinadu Onachie (47) was arrested and taken to the police station for further enquiry. Based on the confessions of Ajagu, City police raided his apartment in Manimangalam near Mudichur and another apartment in Kamakoti Nagar, Pallikaranai and seized a total of 1 kg of Cocaine and cash worth Rs 2 lakh and six mobile phones which they were using for the drug trade.

Ajagu’s wife, Esmelcia Micas alias Leony (50) and his accomplice, Ameh Zion Inalegwu (40) were arrested. All three of them were produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.

Police are probing how the Nigerian nationals sourced the cocaine and are investigating if they are part of a larger drug trafficking network.