Foreigners held for cocaine trafficking, credit card fraud

Police arrested Patrick Emario (29) of Uganda and his friend Rosita Mirian Thangavalu (22), a South African student pursuing her LLB course at Osmania University here, while the duo was trying to sell cocaine near Tarnaka locality yesterday, DCP (East Zone) M Venkateshwar Rao said.

"Patrick, who had arrived in India in 2005 on a student visa, later began supplying cocaine to customers. He was first arrested in 2007, 2010 and 2011 in similar cases. He sourced contraband from one Stephen Kiya Tira Illula alias Muereia staying in Bangalore," the DCP said.

As police surveillance on him increased, he convinced his friend Rosita to assist him and offered her commission. Rosita, who is on a meagre scholarship, is habituated to living a luxurious lifestyle.

She was lured by the commission promised by Patrick and began assisting him in selling cocaine, the DCP said.

A special police team has been deputed to Bangalore to nab the main accused supplying cocaine to Patrick. The police seized 9 gm of cocaine, two fake Citibank credit cards, a fake driving licence and a copy of a fake passport.

In a separate incident, Samuel Kings Hedion (40) and his fiancee Liatu Baraya Yelmi, both Nigerians, were arrested for alleged credit card fraud as well as cheating jewellers and businessmen here by purchasing jewellery and other expensive items using fake credit cards, the DCP said.

The duo allegedly cheated businessmen here to the tune of Rs 5.5 lakh last month, he said.