Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Feb 14: A Nigerian national, Peter Ikedi Belonwu (39), who was previously arrested for supplying MDMA to Mangaluru and other states, has reportedly resumed his criminal activities shortly after being released on bail.
Recent investigations have revealed that Belonwu was the primary source of MDMA for Jalia Zalwango (34), a Ugandan woman who was arrested in Bengaluru on January 12 with 4 kg of MDMA valued at Rs 4 crore. Following this revelation, the police have launched a fresh operation to take him into custody.
A habitual offender Belonwu has a long history of involvement in high-value drug trafficking. In October 2024, he was arrested in Bengaluru after 6 kg of MDMA worth Rs 6 crore was seized from his possession. Although he challenged his arrest in the High Court and secured bail in April 2025, he allegedly returned to the drug trade immediately, supplying narcotics to other foreign nationals involved in the business.
This is not his first violation of bail conditions. In 2023, he was arrested by the Bengaluru police in another drug-related case. Despite being granted bail then as well, he showed no signs of reform and continued to operate his distribution network.
The Mangaluru police are now working closely with other agencies to track down Belonwu. His ability to repeatedly secure bail and return to the illegal trade has highlighted the challenges faced by law enforcement in tackling international drug syndicates operating within the state.