Key Points
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Nigerians arrested in India after Bengaluru drug trafficking bust.
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Police seize 2.8 kg MDMA, cannabis, phones, cash, packing tools.
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Authorities probe cross-border networks linked to these suspects
This week, Indian police in Bengaluru arrested two Nigerians, Alasonye Peter Obioma (35) and Sunday Windom, also known as John Victor Ambomo (28), on suspicion of trafficking large amounts of drugs. The Bengaluru City Crime Branch got a tip and sent officers to Rajanukunte early in the morning to arrest the two.
Authorities say the suspects hid 2.8 kilogrammes of MDMA crystals and 200 grammes of hydroponic cannabis in packages of ready-made clothes. They also took seven cell phones, two digital scales, packing materials, and about Rs 2 lakh in cash. The whole haul is worth about Rs 4.5 crore.
According to a report by Vanguard news, the police say that the two men pretended to be security guards near Kempegowda International Airport to avoid being suspected. They rented a house in Addiganahalli because it was close to tech campuses and student housing. They admitted to getting the drugs from other states during questioning, but they refused to say who their suppliers were.
During a raid in Bengaluru, Nigerians were arrested
S. D. Sharanappa, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), said that the raid was based on information about strange activity near Rajanukunte. He said that the police caught the suspects just as they were getting ready to send the packages to sub-distributors. Sharanappa said, “We think they were middlemen in a bigger chain.”
According to papers that immigration officials have gathered, the two men came to India on temporary visas that have now run out. Under India’s Foreigners Act, their overstayed status now has legal weight. The case also brings to light the role that foreign nationals play in the synthetic drug networks that operate in India.
“Nigerians arrested in India” have been linked to a number of recent busts, but this one is different because of its size and method. The authorities are working with Karnataka’s Anti Narcotics Wing to find out how they are connected across states. The Bengaluru police say that local Indian suspects may have helped them.
Immigration officials will look into the suspects’ travel and stay history. At the same time, legal teams have been hired to file formal charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Police make it harder for drug gangs to operate
Bengaluru’s crackdown on drugs is getting stricter, and these arrests are part of that. In June, police arrested Akinwunmi Princess Ifeoluwa, a Nigerian woman who had more than 5.3 kg of MDMA crystals worth Rs 10.5 crore. That bust showed how foreign agents are often involved in the trafficking of synthetic drugs.
Groups in Bengaluru’s Nigerian diaspora were worried that the way people see migrants who follow the law might be unfairly negative. They told the authorities to make sure that due process is followed, not that everyone is to blame.
For now, Obioma and Windom are still in jail while they wait for formal charges. If you are found guilty under the NDPS Act, you could spend decades in prison. Police say that this case is very important to them.
