Prison
By Abayomi Grace
Two Nigerians, Chima Ibe and Chimezie Lazarus, were recently arrested in India for alleged involvement in drug trafficking. The suspects were apprehended in separate police operations in Maharashtra and Delhi, with authorities seizing substantial quantities of illicit substances.
Chima Ibe, 40, was caught with over one kilogram of methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), valued at ₹2.08 crore (approximately N343 million), in Nalasopara East. Police revealed that Ibe controlled a distribution network spanning Delhi, Gurugram, Meerut, Chandigarh, and Haldwani, using taxi drivers as couriers. He reportedly doesn’t have any previous criminal record, and investigators are now focused on unmasking the larger network, tracing its financial links, and possible international connections.
Chimezie Lazarus, 35, was arrested in Delhi along with two Indian accomplices for allegedly running a cocaine distribution syndicate. Police seized 194 grams of cocaine worth about ₹2.25 crore (N371 million) from the suspects. Lazarus reportedly relocated to India in 2023 for medical treatment but turned to drug trafficking due to financial hardship. He allegedly ran a distribution network across several Indian cities.
The arrests are part of a broader crackdown on drug trafficking in India, with authorities concerned about the growing involvement of Nigerians in the country’s narcotics trade. In July 2025, two Nigerian nationals were caught with 2.8kg of MDMA crystals and 200 grams of cannabis at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. Similarly, in October 2023, two Nigerians were arrested in Delhi for supplying banned substances, including methaqualone and heroin.
A Nigerian hairstylist was caught in India with drugs worth over N1.8 billion, highlighting the scale of drug trafficking operations. A Nigerian and an Ivorian national were arrested in India for alleged drug possession and illegal residency, with police seizing 61.16 grams of MDMA and 36.64 grams of cocaine valued at N17.5 million. A 37-year-old Nigerian man was arrested by the India Crime Branch for inter-state trafficking of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) across India, with authorities believing he was the central figure in a broader drug distribution network.
