Indian Anti-Narcotics Team Captures Nigerian Drug Courier After Eluding Arrest for a Year

Indian authorities have arrested a Nigerian national accused of drug trafficking after a year-long manhunt. The Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) confirmed the arrest of 30-year-old Ezeonyili Franklin Uchenna, also known as Kaleshi, who had been evading capture for more than a year.

According to a report by the *Times of India* on April 28, 2025, Kaleshi was finally apprehended while waiting for customers near Taramati Baradari in Hyderabad. His arrest follows the earlier capture of two of his alleged accomplices—Ugwu Ikechukwu (alias Emma) and Chukwu Ogbonna (alias Big Joe)—both also Nigerian nationals.

Authorities seized various items from Kaleshi, including travel itineraries, flight tickets, bank documents, and drug-related materials. Investigators also found a pen drive containing PDFs of visas, travel documents, and a list of 411 African nationals who had reportedly contributed a total of Rs 9.42 crore to the drug operation. The drive also held 138 images of drugs, banking details, and WhatsApp chats linked to the trafficking network.

During questioning, Kaleshi confessed to arriving in Hyderabad in September 2022 to support the operations of fellow Nigerian drug traffickers Divine Ebuka Suzee and his brother, Uche Happiness. He admitted to working as a courier, collecting drug consignments from a woman named Joana Gomes in New Delhi and delivering them as directed by Ebuka.

The TGANB continues to investigate the broader network involved in the operation.