Kapil Raghu, arrested when police mistook designer perfume ‘Opium’ for narcotics, fights to regain US visa amid ongoing immigration issues
An Indian-origin resident in Arkansas, Kapil Raghu, is contesting the revocation of his US visa after a traffic stop led to his arrest when police mistook a designer perfume labeled ‘Opium’ for illegal drugs, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
Raghu was arrested despite explaining that the bottle contained only perfume; he now faces uncertainty over his immigration status and livelihood.
On May 3, 2025, Raghu was pulled over by Benton Police for a minor traffic violation while delivering food. Officers found a small bottle labeled Opium in his car and assumed it contained narcotics. Body camera footage reportedly shows an officer saying, “You got a vial of opium that was in your centre console.” Despite Raghu’s explanations, he was taken into custody on suspicion of drug possession.
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The Arkansas State Crime Lab later confirmed that the perfume, a well-known fragrance launched in 1977, contained no controlled substances
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Raghu was released on bond from Saline County Jail but was immediately transferred to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody due to unrelated visa overstay issues
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He spent nearly a month in detention in Louisiana before being freed on June 3, 2025
Now married to a US citizen and in the process of obtaining permanent residency, Raghu is unable to work and faces constant deportation threats, causing significant emotional and financial strain for his family.
His attorney has stated that the family is pursuing all legal avenues to have his visa reinstated and his record cleared, highlighting broader concerns about immigration enforcement and misidentification incidents in the US.
