At least three Nigerians residing in India have been arrested by the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau for their alleged involvement in a transnational drug trafficking and money laundering ring.

According to local authorities, the suspects were apprehended alongside several accomplices, following a coordinated operation that led to the recovery of cocaine and MDMA valued at Rs 12.5 lakh.

The arrests were part of an ongoing investigation that exposed a complex financial network reportedly used by drug cartels to launder proceeds from illegal drug sales. Detectives, while tracking the financial activities of known drug peddlers, discovered a string of shell companies based in Mumbai and Delhi. These companies were allegedly used to funnel illicit drug proceeds into offshore accounts.

Further investigations revealed that the arrested Nigerians, along with several Palestinian nationals, played key roles in the movement of illicit funds across borders.

Authorities also confirmed that the case has broader implications, with a wider money laundering operation involving several foreign nationals now under scrutiny.

The Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau says efforts are ongoing to dismantle the criminal network and trace the flow of illicit funds both within and outside India.