A Nigerian national, Richard Mbudu Cyril, has been arrested by the Bengaluru Central Crime Branch (CCB) for manufacturing synthetic drug, Methylsulfonylmethane (MDMA) crystal in his rented house using a pressure cooker.

A police team headed by Soladevanahalli police inspector R Virupakshaswamy raided the suspect’s house in Tarabanahalli village on Hesaraghatta Road, North Bengaluru on Monday, January 10, based on a tip-off and.

Police seized 930 grams of methylsulfonylmethane, 580 grams of sodium hydroxide crystal, five litres of acid, an altered 10 litre pressure cooker, a pipe, a digital weighing machine, two mobiles and a scooter, together worth Rs 50 lakhs.

As per police reports, Cyrill came to India in 2020 with his elder brother on a business visa. They lived in a rented house in Ramamurthy Nagar, East Bengaluru, for six months before moving to Tarabanahalli two months ago.

According to the police, Cyrill’s elder brother is the main accused and is absconding.

Police said that having learnt how to make MDMA on the internet, Cyrill and his elder brother made MDMA crystal using MDMA, sodium hydroxide and acid, and peddled it to traders and customers.

They procured a 10-litre pressure cooker, altered it by fixing an iron pipe to make the drug.

The brothers brought raw materials like MDMA, sodium hydroxide and acid from Mumbai, and boiled them in the cooker. They collected the evaporated substance …

A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) against Cyrill and his brother at Soladevanahalli police station.

Efforts are on to nab the elder brother.