An Indian court has jailed Nigerian Emmanuel Chukwunonso Samson for 10 years over drug trafficking.
Authorities say the conviction follows a major narcotics seizure linked to international courier shipments.
A special court in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, has sentenced Nigerian national Emmanuel Chukwunonso Samson to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined him Rs 1 lakh for drug trafficking offences.
According to the Chennai Zonal Unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the conviction stems from a 2012 operation in which officers intercepted three courier parcels in Chennai on July 17. The parcels, reportedly headed to destinations in West Africa, Australia and Spain, were concealed within ladies’ handbags, car gasket cardboard pieces and embroidered items.
A detailed search uncovered 1.195 kilograms of heroin and 200 grams of methaqualone, with an estimated international market value exceeding Rs 2 crore. Further investigation led to the arrest of James also known as Emmanuel Chukwunonso Samson in Erode. Authorities said they seized an additional 4 kilograms of cannabis from him, allegedly procured from Namakkal for export via courier services.
The NCB filed its case with the Special NDPS Court in Coimbatore in September 2012. On September 20, 2025, the court convicted Samson under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985.
A senior police source told NDTV that the convict has already completed his 10-year sentence and has now been moved from prison to a special detention camp.
In a statement, the NCB hailed the verdict as a major success in its anti-narcotics campaign and reiterated its commitment to achieving the goals of Nasha Mukt Bharat (Drug-Free India). Citizens were encouraged to report drug-related activities through the National Narcotics Helpline (1933), with assurances of strict confidentiality.
