Hyderabad: A key operative linked to Goan drug cartels, Emmanuel Bediako alias Maxwell, was arrested by the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGNAB) in Sainikpuri on Monday. He was caught with high-purity cocaine and ecstasy, priced at Rs 25,000 and Rs 6,000 per gram, respectively.
TGNAB director Sandeep Shandilya said Maxwell had entered India on a medical visa but never visited Bengaluru as declared. Instead, he set up a base in a Goa villa. Facing financial distress in Ghana, Maxwell was drawn into drug trafficking by his cousin Romey, who boasted of wealth and lavish gifts from the trade.
Initially arriving in Delhi under his original name, Omteisi Esmochi Kenneth, in 2013, Maxwell used forged documents on his subsequent visits. During his first stay (November 2013- July 2022), he sold drugs worth Rs 2 crore, earning Rs 40 lakh. On his second visit (December 2023- July 2024), he earned Rs 20 lakh from Rs 1 crore worth of sales. Ahead of his third entry in January 2025, Romey funded Maxwell’s travel via Ghana, where he obtained a fake passport under the name Emmanuel Bediako. He re-entered India through Delhi and continued operations.
From 2024 to his arrest, Maxwell laundered around Rs 56 lakh in commission, while total drug sales touched Rs 2.70 crore. He moved money through hawala channels involving an Indian handler and a Nigerian based in Mumbai. At least 150 bank transfers were traced to Romey, his wife, Promise Nnenna, his sister Ommanma Nnerina and brother-in-law, Chibueze Fortunatus Anthony. Officials are now pursuing a Red Corner Notice and deportation, citing his drug trade history.
TGNAB investigations in Goa revealed that Maxwell and other Nigerian nationals operated out of high-end villas in Anjuna, Calangute, Parra and Siolim. After sensing police surveillance in Goa, Maxwell moved to Hyderabad and was ultimately arrested at a friend’s residence in Sainikpuri.
