Michael was apprehended last Saturday near the Vijayamangalam toll gate in Erode, Tamil Nadu, by a team from the Prohibition Enforcement Wing led by Inspector Sivahami Rani, acting on a tip-off.
Jones Michael, a 32-year-old Nigerian national who worked as a footballer, has been arrested in India for allegedly possessing methamphetamine worth ₹15 lakh (about ₦27.9 million).
According to The Times of India, Michael was apprehended last Saturday near the Vijayamangalam toll gate in Erode, Tamil Nadu, by a team from the Prohibition Enforcement Wing led by Inspector Sivahami Rani, acting on a tip-off.
Investigations revealed that Michael was staying in India without valid immigration documents. His passport had expired in 2023, and authorities suspect he may have entered the country illegally by sea.
"His passport had expired in 2023, and it is likely that he illegally entered the country by sea," Rani said.
He has been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act as well as the Foreigners Act and is currently in judicial custody at Coimbatore Central Prison.
Police also arrested a local resident, Melvin, 49, from Perundurai, for renting accommodation to the Nigerian without verifying his identity or legal status.
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