A Special Court for Essential Commodities (EC) Act cases in Coimbatore, India, has sentenced a Nigerian Man, identified as James Emmanuel Chukwunonso Samson, to 10 years imprisonment for his role in an international drug trafficking ring.
In the judgment delivered on September 20, 2025, Samson was also fined ₹1 lakh after a protracted trial stemming from a case first uncovered on July 17, 2012.
On that day, operatives of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Chennai intercepted three suspicious parcels at a courier facility in the city.
The parcels, disguised as ladies’ handbags, car gasket boxes, and embroidery materials, were intended for shipment to West Africa, Australia, and Spain. Upon inspection, officers discovered 1.195 kilograms of heroin and 200 grams of methaqualone, a sedative-hypnotic drug often misused for its calming effect. NCB officials estimated the seized narcotics had a street value of more than ₹2 crore.
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Subsequent investigations led NCB operatives to Erode, where James was arrested. At the time of his arrest, officers also recovered four kilograms of ganja (marijuana) from his possession.
After years of legal proceedings, the Coimbatore court found him guilty of participating in the transnational smuggling operation and handed down the 10-year prison term.
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Following the verdict, the NCB appealed to the public to support its campaign against drug trafficking by reporting suspicious activities through the national helpline, MANAS 1933, assuring that informants’ identities would be protected.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
