Major Drug Bust: Two Nigerian Nationals Face Trial in India

Two Nigerians, Chima Moses Ibe and Chimezie Lazarus Indedinigwe, have been arrested in separate major anti-narcotics operations in India and are currently facing trial for drug trafficking offenses.

On September 22, 2025, the Tulinj Police in Nalasopara East, Maharashtra state, apprehended 40-year-old Chima Ibe during a targeted raid following a tip-off. Authorities seized over 1 kilogram of methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MD or meth), concealed in transparent plastic bags in his apartment. The seized drugs carry a black-market value of approximately ₹2.08 crore (around N343 million). Alongside the narcotics, ₹34,500 in cash was recovered. Ibe, a resident of Pragatinagar, Nalasopara East, was charged under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and remanded in custody. Investigators are probing potential international links to the trafficking network.

In a separate but related crackdown, Delhi Police’s Crime Branch arrested 35-year-old Chimezie Lazarus Indedinigwe, also known as “Zudo,” on September 10, 2025. Police uncovered 194 grams of cocaine valued at ₹2.25 crore (about N371 million) as part of the bust of a broader narcotics racket. Lazarus, who came to India in January 2023 for medical treatment, allegedly started trafficking cocaine due to financial difficulties. Operating from Delhi, Lazarus managed a drug distribution network spanning Delhi, Gurugram, Meerut, Chandigarh, and Haldwani. The network utilized former taxi drivers as couriers, paying approximately ₹1,000 per delivery. Two Indian accomplices—Rahul Wadhwa and Abdul Kadir—were also arrested after being caught delivering cocaine. Authorities are actively investigating the extent of the network’s international and financial connections.

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These arrests are part of a wider trend involving Nigerian nationals in drug trafficking cases across India. According to the Narcotics Control Bureau’s 2024 report, 106 Nigerians were arrested last year on drug-related charges, ranking them as the second-largest foreign national group implicated after Nepalese nationals. Additionally, on September 12, eight Nigerians were arrested in Kozhikode city for drug offenses, underscoring the ongoing challenges India faces combating international narcotics syndicates.

The Indian authorities continue to strengthen operations against drug trafficking, aiming to dismantle networks and curb the growing menace affecting multiple regions nationwide.