The man who runs Mumbai’s narcotics ring

After law enforcement agencies including the Narcotics Control Bureau NCB considerably damaged the drug supply chain in the city African national Musa saw his big chance and took it Today Musa is the sole supplier of narcotics in Mumbai and is known to surround himself with taekwondotrained swordwielding bodyguards While he had a narrow escape last week during an NCB raid in a forested area between Mankhurd and Vashi which is considered to be his safe haven the cops managed to arrest one of his main bodyguards Obiorah EkwelarDrug lord Musa L who sells drugs like mephedrone cocaine and heroin and Obiorah Ekwelar R who is currently in NCB custodyNCB officials believe that Musa is the sole supplier of narcotics in the city and he sells drugs worth Rs 2 crore daily Joint Director of NCB Mumbai Zone Sameer Wankhede told midday that most of the drug peddlers were purchasing narcotics substances from Musa who suddenly became the biggest supplier ldquoMusa has been illegally living in India since his visa expired many years ago and has made Vashi Ghansoli and Ulwe areas his safe havenrdquo said an officerAlso read Five Mumbai cops hurt in operation to nab Nigerian peddlersSurrounded by bodyguardsldquoHe is always surrounded by six swordwielding bodyguards and carries a pistol tucked in his waist After we took action against some of the drug lords including Chinku Pathan Batata gang Sultan Mirza Arif Bhujwala RubyNilu and others a vacuum was created in the cityrsquos drug supply chain But soon the peddlers started to purchase narcotics substances from Musa who operates from a forest area between Mankhurd and Vashirdquo Wankhede told midday He further said that Musa and his men have created a terrorlike situation among peddlers who never dare to bargain with him while purchasing the drugsldquoWhen a peddler enters Musarsquos den his men wield their swords and one of them pulls down the personrsquos mask Thereafter his photo is clicked for future reference Then the peddler is escorted to Musa who pulls out his pistol and places it in front of him before striking the drug deal By this time the peddler is so scared that he doesnrsquot even dare to bargain Musa sells drugs including mephedrone cocaine and heroinrdquo Wankhede addedDrugs worth Rs 1 crore were seized during the raid last week Representation picldquoMusa has direct links with the Columbia cartel to purchase cocaine which reaches Mumbai via Africa And after the consignments reach Mumbai Musarsquos accomplices collect them Recently we arrested Mozambique national Fumo Emanuel Zedequias who had 102 kg of cocaine concealed in his stomach in the form of 70 capsules worth 10 crore He was working for Musardquo Wankhede said He further said ldquoHis bodyguards are fast runners and good at long as well as high jumps We have arrested Obiorah Ekwelar who is one of his six bodyguards during last weekrsquos operation codenamed ApocalypserdquoCars parked outsideWhen the NCB team reached the forest area to conduct the operation they found multiple highend cars as well as motorcycles parked at the entrance ldquoThese people had come from different parts of Mumbai to purchase drugs Our prime motive was to arrest the Nigerian drug suppliers so we did not focus on the vehicle owners Also we were understaffedrdquo said an NCB officerIn a bid to keep the deals hasslefree Musa has hired a few youth from the nearby slum pockets They have been tasked to alert Musa and his men by blowing a whistle or throwing laser light over the forest arealdquoWe have identified these youth but they cannot be arrested as we have not found drugs in their possession But they will be brought for questioningrdquo added the officerlsquoEkwelar not cooperatingrsquoThe NCB conducted operation Apocalypse last week after two of their attempts did not yield any results and some of their men were injured in the melee with the Nigerians They seized drugs worth Rs 1 crore Wankhede said ldquoEkwelar is not cooperating in the investigationrdquoFrancis and JojoIn a bid to interrogate Ekwelar NCB sleuths had called a translator who is also the religious leader of the Nigerians in Mumbai ldquoWhen we asked him to convince the Nigerians to wrap up their business from the forest area and surrender before the cops he told us that they are like devils who would assault anyone who tries to dissuade them from doing the drug traderdquo said another NCB officerThe central agency has also registered an FIR at Mankhurd police station against Musa and his men including Ekwelar Abbas Jojo and Francis under sections 353 332 143 147 149 of the IPCRs 1crWorth of the drugs seized during operation Apocalypse102kgAmount of cocaine seized from man who worked for MusaRs 2crWorth of the drugs that Musa sells daily