An Indian court has sentenced five persons, including two Nigerian nationals, to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for their involvement in a case involving the seizure of 150 grammes of methamphetamine in 2023.

The Additional District and Sessions Court-I, Kasaragod, Kerala, convicted the five defendants, while acquitting the fourth accused, Sooraj.

Those convicted are Aboobacker, 38, and his wife, Amina Ashra, 35, both from Chattanchal in Kasaragod; Waseem Akram, 35, from Bengaluru; and Nigerian nationals Hafsa Rihanath Usman, alias Blessing Joy, 25, and Ukka Moses, 41.

Judge T. H. Rajitha sentenced the first, second, fifth and sixth accused to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined each of them Rs 200,000. Failure to pay the fine will attract an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment.

The third accused, Akram, was sentenced to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for each of two offences and fined a total of Rs 400,000. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently.

He will face an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment for each offence if he fails to pay the fines.

The case arose from the recovery of 150 grammes of methamphetamine during a vehicle search at Pallam in Uduma on April 21, 2023.

The then Bekal Sub-Inspector, P. K. Pradeep, recovered the drug from the underwear of the first accused, Aboobacker, and the dashboard of the car. Four persons travelling in the vehicle were arrested.

A special investigation team (SIT), led by the then Deputy Superintendent of Police, C. K. Sunil Kumar, was subsequently established to investigate the case and identify those involved in the drug supply network.

During the investigation, police examined the suspects’ mobile phones and discovered WhatsApp chats and call records allegedly linking them to drug suppliers in Bengaluru.

Further inquiries led investigators to two Nigerian nationals, whom the SIT subsequently travelled to Bengaluru to arrest.

The investigation found that the Nigerians had entered India on student visas but remained in Bengaluru after their visas expired. They were allegedly involved in the manufacture and distribution of drugs through a network operating in Bengaluru and Delhi.

Aboobacker and the sixth accused, Moses, were also found to have been involved in narcotics cases in Bengaluru, according to the investigation.

The two Nigerian nationals have been in judicial custody since 2023.

During the trial, the prosecution examined 22 witnesses and presented 149 documents and eight material exhibits before the court.

The then Bekal Circle Inspector, U. Vipin, completed the investigation and filed the chargesheet.

Additional Public Prosecutor Lohithakshan Idayillam and advocate Athira Balan represented the prosecution.