Police in India have arrested a 34-year-old Nigerian man, Emmanuel Bediako, also known as Maxwell, for allegedly trafficking hard drugs worth millions of rupees over the past 10 years.
Officers from the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau arrested Maxwell on Sunday in the Sainikpuri area of Hyderabad. According to Indian news outlet The Hindu, police found 150 grams of high-purity cocaine and 1,100 ecstasy pills in his possession.
Maxwell reportedly told police that he earned over ₹1.17 crore (about $145,600) in commissions through drug deals since entering India in 2013.
“This isn’t just a case of drug peddling. It’s an organised transnational racket involving multiple countries, fake documents, money laundering, and systematic targeting of Indian youth,” said Sandeep Shandilya, Director of the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau.
Shandilya said Maxwell entered India using fake identities and passports. He first came to the country in 2013 on a medical visa but never visited the hospital or city mentioned in his documents. Instead, he went to Goa to join his cousin, Romey, believed to be the leader of the cartel and currently based in Nigeria.
“After exhausting the Goa market, the cartel directed Maxwell to scout Hyderabad, citing rising demand,” Shandilya said. “He operated using burner phones, moved frequently to avoid arrest, and laundered his earnings through Nigerian bank accounts and Indian hawala networks.”
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Police said Maxwell sold cocaine for ₹25,000 per gram and ecstasy pills for ₹6,000 each. He allegedly handled deliveries and built a local drug supply network in Hyderabad.
Officers also recovered two phones from him, containing transaction records and photos of past drug shipments. Police say the data showed more than 150 bank transactions linked to Nigerian banks, including GT Bank, Zenith Bank, and Moniepoint MFB. The transactions reportedly involved Romey, his wife, Ugwu Promise Nnenna, and his brother-in-law.
Maxwell had previously stayed in a luxury villa in Goa but moved to Hyderabad after police pressure increased.
Authorities said a Red Corner Notice — an international request to arrest and extradite a suspect — may soon be issued for Romey and other Nigerians believed to be involved in the cartel.
In response to growing concerns, Indian officials have warned landlords in Hyderabad neighborhoods like Paramount Colony, Brundavan Colony, Tolichowki, and Banjara Hills to report foreign tenants to the authorities.
Maxwell’s arrest comes shortly after four other Nigerians — including two women — were arrested in separate drug cases across India.