Nigerian man arrested in India with N290m illicit drugs

A Nigerian national has been arrested in Bengaluru, India, for allegedly running a major drug distribution network, with authorities recovering MDMA crystals (ecstasy)worth about Rs 2 crore (over N290 million).

The arrest forms part of a wider crackdown on narcotics operations targeting both students and the general public in the city.

According to the Indian Express on Tuesday, the suspect, Samuel Ikkena, 44, was apprehended by the Yelahanka police in Bengaluru, Karnataka State, for allegedly running an MDMA racket disguised as a clothing business.

MDMA, also known as ecstasy, is a psychoactive drug often sold illegally for recreational use.

Ikkena reportedly “procured MDMA near Bannerghatta for Rs 50,000 (around N3.5 million) and sold it at higher rates through a structured illegal network.”

He arrived in India in 2012 on a business visa, initially trading garments in Delhi and Mumbai before moving to Bengaluru in 2025.

Police said investigators recovered 2 kg of MDMA crystals, valued at around Rs 2 crore (N140 million), along with 31.396 kg of cannabis (ganja), 220 g of hydro ganja, additional heroin, and a two-wheeler used for transporting the drugs.

Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh described the total contraband as “estimated at Rs 2.57 crore (N180 million), with a potential street value of approximately Rs 5.14 crore (N360 million).”

Ikenna’s arrest was part of a larger operation that led to 11 arrests, including two foreigners and eight locals, at locations across Bengaluru, including Yelahanka, Adugodi, Bharathinagar, Jalahalli, and Pulakeshinagar. The Adugodi police also arrested Baljit Singh, from Uttar Pradesh, and Arjun Joshi, a Nepalese national, for allegedly supplying heroin in the city.

Police said Joshi, who initially consumed drugs, began selling heroin after sourcing it from Baljit Singh. Authorities recovered 162 g of heroin worth Rs 55 lakh (N3.85 million) and three mobile phones from the duo.

Police said the accused procured drugs from both foreign and interstate suppliers and sold them at inflated prices. Investigators have registered cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and are working to trace the main kingpins behind the network.