Nigerian national arrested with drugs worth ₹6 crore in Bengaluru

Mangaluru police seize 6,310 kg of MDMA worth ₹6 crore, arrest Nigerian drug dealer.

Published on: Oct 8, 2024, 15:00:00 IST

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The Mangaluru CCB police have seized 6,310 kg of MDMA drugs worth ₹6 crore and arrested a Nigerian national allegedly involved in the sale of the drugs, officials said on Monday.

The investigation led CCB officers to Peter Ikedi Belonwu (38), a Nigerian national residing in a rented house in Govinda Reddy Layout, Swami Vivekananda Nagar, Bengaluru.

Officials claimed the seizure as one of the largest drug hauls in the region.

According to Mangaluru City Police Commissioner, Anupam Agarwal, the CCB (Central Crime Branch) police conducted a raid on September 29 at a lodge near Pumpwell under the Mangaluru East Police Station’s jurisdiction.

The operation, aimed at curbing drug sales in the city, initially led to the arrest of Haider Ali (51), a resident of Chembugudde House, Thokkottu, Mangaluru.

Haider was found in possession of 15 grams of MDMA (commonly known as Ecstasy) worth ₹75,000, and a case was registered against him at the Mangaluru East police station. Through advanced technical analysis and intelligence gathering, the CCB police traced the drug supply chain to Bengaluru, uncovering a network of drug peddlers connected to Haider, Agarwal said.

The investigation led CCB officers to Peter Ikedi Belonwu (38), a Nigerian national residing in a rented house in Govinda Reddy Layout, Swami Vivekananda Nagar, Bengaluru.

During the raid at his residence, police seized 6.310 kg of MDMA, along with several incriminating items, including three mobile phones, a digital weighing scale, 35 ATM/debit cards, 17 inactive SIM cards and bank account books of 10 different banks, he said.

The total value of the seized assets amounted to ₹6,00,63,500, Agarwal said.

According to him, the accused had been supplying drugs across Bengaluru, various parts of Karnataka, and even into Kerala.

Further investigation revealed that a case had already been registered against him in 2023 at the Vidyaranyapura police station, Bengaluru, in connection with narcotic sales.

Police suspect that multiple individuals are involved in this extensive drug trafficking network and further investigation is on.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More