Indian police have arrested a Nigerian national and an Ivorian woman in South Delhi for alleged drug trafficking. The suspects were caught with 355 grams of high-quality cocaine during a raid at a residence in the Chattarpur area of the Indian capital.
The raid, which took place on Tuesday, September 10, followed a tip-off about their alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade. According to the Delhi Police, the seized drugs have an estimated value of around Rs 70 lakh (approximately ₦65 million) in the international market.
The suspects were identified as 43-year-old Benjamin Izuchukwu from Nigeria and 29-year-old Coulibaly Mariam from Ivory Coast. The arrests were made by officers from the South Delhi Police Division.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ankit Chauhan said the police recovered not only the cocaine but also an electronic weighing machine and several packaging materials used for selling the drugs in small quantities.
“During interrogation, Izuchukwu revealed that he used to procure cocaine from another African national named Joseph, who lives in the Dwarka area of Delhi. He bought the drug at Rs 8,000 per gram and sold it in Chattarpur and nearby areas at Rs 10,000 per gram,” DCP Chauhan said.
The Nigerian suspect disclosed that he had recently purchased a total of 600 grams of cocaine from Joseph. By the time the police conducted the raid, he had already sold about 250 grams. The remaining 355 grams were recovered during the operation.
His associate, Coulibaly Mariam, allegedly assisted in distributing the drugs across the area. Both suspects are now in police custody and face prosecution under India’s strict Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which can carry long jail terms and heavy fines.
The arrest is part of a broader crackdown by Indian law enforcement on international drug networks operating within the country. Delhi Police have recently stepped-up surveillance and intelligence gathering to disrupt the operations of drug traffickers, particularly those with links to foreign criminal groups.
This latest arrest adds to the growing concern over the involvement of some Nigerian nationals in drug-related crimes abroad, particularly in countries like India, Malaysia, and Indonesia, where drug offences carry harsh penalties, including life imprisonment and even the death penalty in some cases.
The Nigerian government has in the past urged its citizens abroad to avoid illegal activities and respect the laws of their host countries, especially in places with strict anti-drug laws.
Meanwhile, Nigerian authorities are expected to monitor the case closely through its embassy in India.
The suspects remain in custody while investigations continue to identify other members of the alleged drug ring. Indian police say efforts are underway to locate “Joseph,” the reported supplier of the cocaine.
