Chikuwuma, a Nigerian citizen, was detained for a similar act only a week after Ifeoluwa Akinwunmi, a Nigerian hairdresser, was found in India in possession of narcotics valued at over N1.8 billion.
India Today said on Tuesday that the suspect was captured after a raid by agents of Bengaluru’s Central Crime Branch, who found drugs worth about Rs 1.2 crore (N214 million).
According to the report, the police apprehended the accused, Chikuwuma, as he was attempting to distribute drugs in the northern Bengaluru neighbourhood of Avalahalli.
According to the report, MDMA and crystal drugs were seized as part of a larger operation by the CCB’s Narcotics Wing, which included the arrest.
The report added that the Narcotics Wing of the CCB conducted a quick, coordinated operation, seizing MDMA and crystal substances valued at over Rs 1.2 crore.
“He was caught red-handed while trying to sell narcotics and is believed to be part of a wider international trafficking network. Efforts are ongoing to trace others involved.”
Preliminary investigations by the police revealed that Chikuwuma had been involved in drug trafficking since 2013.
He allegedly imported narcotics from overseas and distributed them across Bengaluru, with a particular focus on the city’s outskirts.
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His operations were reportedly linked to a broader international drug syndicate, and he had been under surveillance for several weeks leading up to his arrest.
The report noted that the officials were intensifying efforts to dismantle the network and identify other individuals connected to the case.
The Intercept learnt that Chikuwuma would remain in custody, pending further interrogations to aid the police investigation.
The suspect now joins a growing list of Nigerian nationals currently facing prosecution in India for drug-related offences.
