India, Oct. 3 -- A special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court on Tuesday sentenced an Ivory Coast national to 12 years' rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs.1.25 lakh after being convicted for illegal possession of narcotics. It was also found that he had been illegally residing in India after his visa expired, an official from Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) said.

According to the prosecution, the incident dates back to January 2021, when the ANC laid a trap, based on a tip-off, and caught the Ivory Coast national with 189 grams of cocaine in Kurla. Subsequently, a charge sheet was filed before the Special NDPS Court in July 2021. The ANC's investigation also revealed that he had been staying in the country after...