Indian police have rearrested a 36-year-old Nigerian national in Mangaluru after he allegedly returned to drug peddling barely months after securing bail in an earlier narcotics case.
The suspect, identified as Peter Ikedi Belonwu, was picked up by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Mangaluru City Police following intelligence reports that he had resumed trafficking in MDMA, a synthetic party drug.
According to police, Belonwu had previously been arrested and remanded into judicial custody for drug-related offences but later obtained bail. Investigators say he violated the conditions of his release and quietly restarted his operations.
Security officials disclosed that the suspect allegedly sourced MDMA from Bengaluru and ran a distribution network supplying local dealers, students, and users in Mangaluru, with spillover into Kasaragod in neighbouring Kerala.
Acting on fresh intelligence, the CCB launched a targeted surveillance operation that led to his arrest on Sunday, February 15, 2026. During the operation, officers reportedly seized a significant quantity of MDMA, multiple mobile phones, and other materials believed to be linked to the drug trade.
Police sources said the suspect frequently changed residences and used several phone numbers in an attempt to avoid detection, tactics investigators say are common among repeat offenders and organised drug networks.
Further checks revealed that this was not Belonwu’s first encounter with law enforcement. In October 2024, he was arrested in Bengaluru after authorities seized about six kilograms of MDMA, valued at roughly ₹6 crore. He was also reportedly arrested in 2023 in connection with similar drug trafficking cases.
Law enforcement officials credited sustained intelligence gathering and coordination between police units in different cities for tracking the suspect’s movements and disrupting his activities before more drugs reached the streets.
The latest arrest is part of a broader crackdown by police in Karnataka, aimed at curbing the spread of narcotics, particularly among young people. Authorities say they will continue to pursue strict action against repeat offenders and organised drug syndicates operating across state lines.
Source: Africa Publicity
