What began as a routine traffic stop in Arkansas has turned into a nightmare for Kapil Raghu, an Indian-origin man legally living in the United States, after a bottle of designer perfume was mistaken for illegal drugs—leading to his arrest, visa revocation, and potential deportation.
Raghu, who had recently married an American citizen, was pulled over by Benton police on May 3 while making a food delivery. Officers found a small bottle labeled “Opium” in his car’s center console. Although Raghu repeatedly explained that it was merely a brand of perfume, officers assumed it was narcotics and arrested him for drug possession. Bodycam footage reportedly captured one officer saying, “You got a vial of opium that was in your centre console.”
Subsequent lab tests confirmed the substance was indeed perfume, not drugs, and the charges were dropped on May 20. But the ordeal triggered a cascade of legal problems. Immigration officials flagged Raghu’s visa as expired—a situation he says arose from his former lawyer failing to file paperwork on time.
Raghu spent three days in Saline County jail before being transferred to an ICE detention facility in Louisiana, where he was held for 30 days. During that time, his visa was revoked, leaving him unable to work and vulnerable to deportation. “Though released, Kapil now has a deportation status. He can be deported for even a minor offense, like jaywalking,” said his attorney Mike Laux, speaking to The Guardian. “He’s also legally barred from working, which has put immense pressure on the family.”
Raghu and his wife, Alhley Mays, were married in April. Since his detention, Mays has been working three jobs to support the household and pay for legal expenses. “The savings we had were for a house. Now it’s all gone,” she said, adding that Raghu missed her daughter’s fourth-grade graduation while in detention. “She sees him as a father figure. It’s been heartbreaking.”
Laux also alleges that authorities violated international law by failing to inform the Indian Consulate after Raghu’s arrest, as required by the Vienna Convention. Raghu has submitted a letter to ICE’s legal office explaining that the visa issue was an administrative error and requesting the restoration of his legal status. The Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the case.
The experience has taken a serious emotional toll on both Raghu and his wife. “It was just cologne,” Mays said. “Now, when a police car is behind me, I panic. I’m constantly afraid.”