Watch: Indian Man Jailed in US After Officers Think His ‘Opium’ Perfume Is Real Opium

What started as an ordinary day for Kapil Raghu, an Indian man living in the United States, soon turned into a nightmare that would change his life. On May 3, Raghu, who was making a food delivery in Benton, Arkansas, was stopped by police for a minor traffic violation. During the stop, officers found a small perfume bottle labeled “Opium.” Believing it contained the banned drug, they immediately accused him of possessing narcotics.

Despite Raghu’s repeated explanations that it was just a branded perfume, the officers didn’t believe him. What followed was a chain of events that not only led to his arrest but also a month-long detention by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

How did a perfume become a police case?

According to The Guardian, bodycam footage showed police officers confronting Raghu during the stop. One officer can be heard saying, “You got a vial of opium that was in your center console. Go and take a seat.” Raghu, visibly confused, tried to explain that it was only perfume and not a drug. “I was not doing anything wrong when he pulled me over. I was following all regulations,” Raghu told the Saline Courier.

His wife, Ashley Mays, soon arrived at the scene and couldn’t understand why her husband was being arrested. “I’m confused on why he’s going to jail,” she said. But her questions didn’t stop the officers from taking Raghu into custody.

On May 3, 2025, a routine traffic stop in Benton, Arkansas, turned absurd when police arrested a man after mistaking his vial of YSL “Opium” perfume for actual opium- a blunder captured on video that led to his wrongful detention. pic.twitter.com/Y8At1q99L3

— X Case Files (@XCaseFiles) August 22, 2025

The shocking lab report and a deeper problem

Later, the Arkansas State Crime Lab tested the contents of the bottle and confirmed that it was indeed perfume, not opium. However, by that time, Raghu had already spent three days in the Saline County jail. During this time, officials discovered an administrative error showing that his visa had expired, even though Raghu and his wife were already working with an immigration lawyer to fix his status.

Because of that error, ICE officers took Raghu into custody and sent him to a federal immigration facility in Louisiana, where he spent 30 days in detention.

Family struggles and emotional toll

While Raghu was in custody, his family went through a heartbreaking time. His wife, Ashley, called him every night in tears, while his stepdaughter would cry and hold a Bible to her chest, hoping for his return. On a fundraising page, Ashley wrote that she was even prepared to sell her cars and “move to some other country where we can live happily.”

For a family that had done everything legally and was preparing for permanent residency, the mistake felt cruel and unnecessary.

Charges dropped, but life is still uncertain

On May 20, a district court judge officially dropped the charges, confirming that Raghu was wrongly accused. Yet, the damage was done. His work visa was revoked, and his immigration status became uncertain. Raghu’s lawyer, Mike Laux, said that even though he was released, the incident left a mark on his record.

Raghu is now focused on reinstating his visa and rebuilding his life. His story has sparked conversations online about how easily misunderstandings can spiral out of control, especially for immigrants living in the US.