Nigerian Student, Two Indians Arrested in ₹30 Lakh Drug Bust in Hyderabad’s Manikonda

The Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) on Sunday apprehended a Nigerian national and two Indian associates in Manikonda, Hyderabad, in connection with a major drug trafficking case. Authorities seized 107 grams of cocaine and 25 grams of ecstasy pills, with an estimated street value of ₹30 lakh

The prime suspect, 22-year-old Chukwumeka Wisdom Onyeka, also known by aliases Victor Chukwu and Major Cartel, is a Nigerian national and BSc student at Gokul Global University, Gujarat. He had previously been arrested in a cocaine-related case in 2023, during which his Sudanese passport was seized. He was residing in Parra village, Goa.

Two Indian nationals, Gopishetty Rajesh and Bommadevara Veera Raju, were also arrested. Initially drug users, the duo later transitioned into suppliers, catering to Hyderabad’s elite circles. They have all been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Authorities have identified several clients from the trio’s network, including individuals named Phani Raj, Pavithra Reddy, Satish, Sada Shiva, Sudhir, and Bhanu.

Investigations revealed that Wisdom originally entered India in December 2022 on a student visa with a Sudanese passport. Following his arrest and release, he allegedly acquired a fake Nigerian passport through a handler named Max, also known by aliases Princewel, Buchi, and Gabriel—a suspected Nigerian drug kingpin based in Goa. Wisdom returned to Nigeria in September 2024, destroyed the forged passport, and re-entered India under his real name later that year.

The police believe Max is operating a larger syndicate, recruiting foreign students under false identities to distribute narcotics across India. Further investigations are ongoing to dismantle the entire network.