**Indian Man’s US Visa Revoked After Carrying Perfume Labeled ‘Opium’**
*By Snehil Singh | October 7, 2025, 10:52 AM*
An Indian-origin man living in the United States, Kapil Raghu, is currently fighting to have his visa reinstated following a misunderstanding involving a perfume bottle labeled “Opium.”
### The Incident
On May 3, Benton police stopped Raghu, who is married to a US citizen, for a minor traffic violation. During the stop, officers discovered a small bottle in his car labeled “Opium.” Mistaking it for an illegal drug, the police arrested Raghu on drug possession charges, despite his repeated explanations that the bottle contained only designer perfume.
### Aftermath of the Arrest
Following his arrest, Raghu was detained for three days in Saline County Jail. The Arkansas State Crime Lab later confirmed that the bottle did not contain any narcotics. However, during his detention, immigration authorities flagged a visa irregularity linked to an administrative error by Raghu’s previous attorney, according to his lawyer, Mike Laux.
Raghu was then transferred to a federal US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Louisiana, where he remained for 30 days.
### Legal and Financial Consequences
Although the drug possession charges were dropped by a district court on May 20, Raghu’s visa was revoked during his detention. This revocation left him without legal status in the US and exposed him to potential deportation.
Laux highlighted the severe impact of this status, stating, “It is my understanding that, though released, Kapil now has a ‘deportation’ status, meaning he can be immediately deported for any minor offense, even jaywalking.” This classification has also prevented Raghu from working and supporting his family, creating significant financial and emotional hardship.
### Family Impact
Raghu’s wife, Alhley Mays, has been working three jobs to cover mounting legal expenses after their savings were depleted, as reported by The Saline Courier. She shared how deeply the ordeal has affected their family, saying, “This doesn’t just affect Kapil and me. My daughter looks at him as a father figure.”
The family continues to seek a resolution as they cope with the disruption and uncertainty caused by this unfortunate incident.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/world/indian-man-s-us-visa-revoked-after-opium-perfume-mix-up/story