Mangaluru City Police in India arrested a 39-year-old Nigerian national on suspicion of resuming methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) distribution operations after securing bail in an earlier narcotics case, authorities announced on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
Peter Ikedi Belonwu faces accusations of violating bail conditions and re-establishing a drug distribution network supplying dealers and students in Mangaluru and neighbouring Kasaragod district. Police reports indicate he procured MDMA from Bengaluru and coordinated deliveries across Karnataka state.
The Central Crime Branch (CCB) launched a targeted operation following intelligence inputs regarding his renewed involvement in narcotics trafficking. Officers seized a substantial quantity of MDMA along with other incriminating materials at the time of arrest. Investigators revealed that Belonwu frequently shifted locations and used multiple mobile phone numbers to evade surveillance.
Belonwu has a documented history of drug trafficking arrests. Police arrested him on October 7, 2024, in Bengaluru’s Dommasandra area, seizing 6.248 kilogrammes of MDMA valued at approximately 6 crore rupees. The raid also recovered three mobile phones, a digital weighing scale, 35 automated teller machine cards, 17 inactive subscriber identity module cards, and 10 bank account passbooks.
Prior to the October 2024 arrest, Bengaluru police had detained Belonwu in 2023 in connection with separate drug trafficking investigations registered at Vidyaranyapura police station. Despite these previous arrests and judicial custody, authorities say he continued illegal operations after obtaining bail.
The October 2024 case began when Mangaluru East Police arrested Haider Ali, aged 51, on September 29, 2024, at a lodge near Pumpwell with 15 grammes of MDMA. Investigation into his supply chain led officers to Belonwu, marking the start of a broader operation that eventually exposed connections to international smuggling networks.
Further investigation revealed links between Belonwu and two South African women arrested on March 14, 2025, in Bengaluru with 37.870 kilogrammes of MDMA valued at 75 crore rupees. The women had been transporting drugs via air routes from Delhi to Bengaluru for 18 months.
Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal stated that the March 2025 seizure represented the largest drug bust in Karnataka State Police history. During interrogation, Belonwu reportedly identified the South African women as his suppliers.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah commended police efforts, emphasizing the government’s determination to uproot drug networks across the state. Deputy Commissioner of Police K Ravishankar noted that investigations continue to determine smuggling sources and whether suspects operated within a more extensive international network.
Officials emphasized that sustained intelligence gathering and coordinated efforts proved critical to tracking movements. The arrest forms part of intensified enforcement measures to curb drug circulation, particularly among youth populations, with authorities reiterating commitment to strict action against repeat offenders.
