In a major anti-narcotics operation, the Hebbal police arrested four alleged inter-State drug peddlers, including a Nigerian national, who had allegedly challenged the Karnataka Police on social media, and seized 17.58 kg of MDMA crystal valued at approximately ₹34 crore. The Nigerian national had allegedly posted on social media that he would continue peddling drugs in the State despite the police crackdown.

Investigators said the alleged kingpin, operating from Nigeria, had sent messages to local peddlers after an earlier drug seizure, encouraging them to continue the illegal business despite increased police action in Bengaluru.

The police said the accused adopted a new modus operandi by concealing MDMA inside packets of food items to evade detection during transportation. The Hebbal police formed five special teams and carried out simultaneous raids in Bengaluru and New Delhi, eventually making the arrests.

The arrested persons have been identified as Solomon Tochukwu, a Nigerian national allegedly hiding in New Delhi, Rakangmi Taniros from Manipur, and Bengaluru-based accused Mohan Kumar and Johnson, who were allegedly involved in distributing the drugs in the city.

Further investigation is under way to trace the wider inter-State drug network and identify other associates involved in the racket.