Nigerian National Arrested in India Over ₹2 Crore MDMA Racket

A 44-year-old Nigerian national has been arrested in Bengaluru, India, for allegedly operating a major drug distribution network, with authorities seizing MDMA crystals valued at approximately ₹2 crore (over N140 million).

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

Ikkena arrived in India in 2012 on a business visa and initially traded garments in Delhi and Mumbai before relocating to Bengaluru in 2025. Police investigations revealed that he allegedly procured MDMA near Bannerghatta for ₹50,000 (about N3.5 million) and sold it through a structured illegal network at significantly higher prices.

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

Police recovered 2 kg of MDMA crystals, estimated at around ₹2 crore, 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 stated that the total contraband is estimated at ₹2.57 crore, with a potential street value of approximately ₹5.14 crore.

Ikkena’s arrest was part of a larger operation that led to 11 arrests, including two foreigners and eight locals, across locations such as Yelahanka, Adugodi, Bharathinagar, Jalahalli, and Pulakeshinagar.

In a related development, the Adugodi police arrested Baljit Singh from Uttar Pradesh and Arjun Joshi, a Nepalese national, for allegedly supplying heroin in the city. Police said Joshi initially consumed drugs before turning to peddling, sourcing the substance from Singh. Authorities recovered 162 g of heroin worth ₹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. Cases have been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and investigators are working to trace the main kingpins behind the network.