**Indian Man’s US Visa Revoked After Carrying Perfume Labeled ‘Opium’**
*By Snehil Singh | Oct 07, 2025, 10:52 AM*
An Indian-origin man living in the United States, Kapil Raghu, is fighting to have his visa reinstated following a distressing misunderstanding over a perfume bottle labeled “Opium.”
### The Incident
On May 3, Raghu was stopped by Benton police for a minor traffic violation. During the stop, officers found a small bottle in his car labeled “Opium” and mistakenly assumed it contained illegal drugs. Despite Raghu’s explanation that it was merely a designer perfume, he was arrested on drug possession charges.
### Arrest and Detention
Although the Arkansas State Crime Lab later confirmed that the bottle contained no narcotics, Raghu was held in Saline County Jail for three days. During this time, immigration authorities flagged an irregularity with his visa, which his lawyer, Mike Laux, attributes to an “administrative error” made by Raghu’s previous attorney.
Following the jail stay, Raghu was transferred to a federal US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Louisiana, where he remained detained for 30 days.
### Visa Revocation and Legal Challenges
While the district court dropped the narcotics charges on May 20, Raghu’s visa was revoked during his detention. This revocation left him without legal status and exposed to deportation. His lawyer explained that this new classification now places Raghu under “deportation” status, meaning he could be deported immediately for even a minor offense, such as jaywalking.
Laux expressed concern over the consequences, noting that Raghu is currently unable to work and support his family, which has been devastating.
### Impact on Family
Raghu’s wife, Alhley Mays, has been working three jobs to cover mounting legal expenses after their savings were depleted. The emotional toll on the family has been significant.
“This doesn’t just affect Kapil and me. My daughter looks at him as a father figure,” Mays shared, highlighting the personal hardships brought on by the ordeal.
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Kapil Raghu’s case underscores the complexities and challenges immigrants can face due to misunderstandings and administrative errors within the US legal and immigration systems.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/world/indian-man-s-us-visa-revoked-after-opium-perfume-mix-up/story