Nigerian Arrested In India Over N290m Drug Trafficking Scheme

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

The arrest is part of a broader crackdown on narcotics targeting both students and the public across the city. According to the Indian Express, Ikkena, 44, was apprehended by Yelahanka police for allegedly running the MDMA racket under the guise of a clothing business.

MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, is a psychoactive drug often sold illegally for recreational use. Police said Ikkena “procured MDMA near Bannerghatta for Rs 50,000 (around N3.5 million) and sold it at higher rates through a structured illegal network.”

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

Authorities recovered 2 kg of MDMA crystals, 31.396 kg of cannabis (ganja), 220 g of hydro ganja, additional heroin, and a two-wheeler used to transport 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).”

The operation led to 11 arrests, including two foreigners and eight locals, at multiple locations in Bengaluru, including Yelahanka, Adugodi, Bharathinagar, Jalahalli, and Pulakeshinagar.

Among those arrested were Baljit Singh from Uttar Pradesh and Arjun Joshi, a Nepalese national, accused of supplying heroin in the city. Police recovered 162 g of heroin worth Rs 55 lakh (N3.85 million) and three mobile phones from the duo.

Authorities said the accused procured drugs from both foreign and interstate sources, selling them at inflated prices.

Cases have been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and investigators are tracing the main operators behind the network.