Indian man's US visa revoked after carrying perfume labeled 'opium'
What's the story
An Indian-origin man in the United States, Kapil Raghu, is battling to get his visa reinstated after a misunderstanding involving a perfume bottle labeled "Opium." The incident occurred on May 3 when Benton police stopped Raghu, who is married to a US citizen, for a minor traffic violation. During the stop, officers found a small bottle labeled "Opium" in his car and assumed it was an illegal drug.
Arrest aftermath
Arrested on drug possession charges
Despite Raghu's insistence that the bottle was just a designer perfume, he was arrested on drug possession charges. Bodycam footage from the incident showed officers telling Raghu, "You got a vial of opium that was in your center console." The Arkansas State Crime Lab later confirmed that the bottle contained no narcotics.
Legal complications
Raghu was detained for 3 days
Yet, Raghu was detained for three days in Saline County Jail, where immigration authorities flagged a visa irregularity. His lawyer, Mike Laux, attributed this to an "administrative error" by Raghu's previous attorney. After his arrest, Raghu was moved to a federal US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Louisiana for 30 days.
Financial burden
Visa revoked during detention
Though the narcotics charge was dropped by a district court on May 20, Raghu's visa was revoked during his detention. This left him without legal status and facing deportation. Laux said this classification prevents Raghu from working and supporting his family, which has been devastating for them. "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," Laux told The Guardian.
Family impact
Wife says ordeal has taken an emotional toll on family
Raghu's wife, Alhley Mays, has been working three jobs to pay legal costs after their savings were depleted, according to The Saline Courier, a local newspaper. She said the ordeal has taken an emotional toll on their family. "This doesn't just affect Kapil [Raghu] and me. My daughter looks at him as a father figure," she said.