Two Nigerians, Forex Agent Arrested in Telangana for Global Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering

Written on 05/04/2025
Indian Express

The Telangana Police on Saturday arrested two Nigerian nationals and a forex agent in connection with a major international drug trafficking and money laundering ring operating across India and the United States.

The suspects were reportedly involved in the distribution of cocaine and MDMA in Hyderabad, Bangalore, and abroad.

According to a statement from the Cyberabad Narcotic Police Station under the Telangana Anti-Narcotic Bureau (TGANB), the Nigerians, identified as Ugwu Ikechukwu and Chukwu Ogbonna, were arrested alongside Mohammed Mateen, a forex dealer and proprietor of Fine Multiple Service in Old Malakpet, Hyderabad.

Police disclosed that Ikechukwu operated under multiple aliases including Emma, Gaelle Musungay Ntumba, John Cole, Arnold, and Roy, while Ogbonna used names like Big Joe and Peace with You. Their criminal network was reportedly tied to a larger global drug syndicate.

Authorities seized 15 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of MDMA, ₹45,000 in cash, and other incriminating materials during the operation.

The arrests mark a significant crackdown on transnational narcotics trafficking, with law enforcement officials promising to deepen investigations into the syndicate’s financial and logistical networks both in India and overseas.



The police said the accused were assisting kingpin Ebuka Suzee, who was also assisted by two more Nigerians — Chidiebere Ubah and Okafor Paul Chukwunweike alias Chuks, who had a customer base in the US — in the supply of drugs.

The police found out that Ebuka Suzee and his aides were supplying narcotic substances to their customers in the US.

“To get back the payments made by the US customers, on the instructions of Ebuka Suzee, Emma trapped US-based single women and took their bank account and credit card numbers and gave them to the customers in the US who used to deposit the money towards drug purchase in their accounts.

Later, Emma contacted Mohammed Mateen, who provided some bank accounts of Indians staying in the US by collecting account details from Anand Jain, Goyam Forex.

The US women used to transfer the money through money transfer services and deposit it in the US bank accounts of Indians, and Mateen used to pay cash to Emma,” said Sandeep Shandilya, director of TGANB.

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