An Indian court has sentenced a Nigerian citizen, Christian Arinze, to 20 years in prison after he was found guilty of drug trafficking. The judgment was delivered by the Additional District and Sessions Court in Ahmedabad following a trial over illegal drug importation into the country.

Authorities said Arinze was convicted alongside Hanchabila John, a Zambian national. According to the Narcotics Control Bureau, John was first arrested in September 2021 after arriving at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on a flight from Dubai.

During a search at the airport, officials reportedly discovered about 2.75 kilograms of heroin in John’s luggage. The investigation that followed linked Arinze to the trafficking network, leading to his arrest and prosecution.

After reviewing the evidence, the court sentenced both men to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. Each of the convicts was also ordered to pay a fine of 200,000 Indian rupees as part of the punishment.