NCB busts drug trafficking network involving illegally overstaying foreign nationals
The agency, in coordination with the police and immigration authorities, is launching a nationwide fortnight-long drive, “Trinetra,” next month to identify overstaying foreigners and initiate action
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has dismantled a drug trafficking network that involved foreign nationals who had illegally overstayed in India, according to officials. Four Nigerian nationals were arrested, and drugs worth about ₹15 crore were seized. The operation, conducted on July 18 in Delhi’s Khanpur with assistance from the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), resulted in the seizure of over 5 kg of amphetamine.
Another search on July 21 in Hans Enclave, Gurugram, led to the arrest of another Nigerian national, Abuchi George Okorie, and the seizure of additional drugs.
The accused individuals had overstayed their visas. Obase Prosper Ogboronjor was wanted in a major cyber-fraud case involving approximately ₹68 lakh. Additional seizures included 9.7 kg of amphetamine and 67.84 kg of pseudoephedrine, the latter being a controlled substance used in the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine. Pseudoephedrine had been found in the possession of Abuchi George Okorie, who had arrived in India on a medical attendant visa that expired in June 2015 and had been living in the country illegally for over a decade.
On August 3, in Mehrauli, Delhi, 318 grams of cocaine and 6 grams of heroin were seized from another premises. Two Nigerian nationals, Uchenna Stephen Nwanko and Chikezie Joshua Igwe, who had been living illegally for over 13 years, were arrested. During the operation in Mehrauli, an African woman attempted to escape by jumping from a balcony, sustaining injuries and now receiving medical treatment.
The NCB emphasized the importance of vigilance, noting that hotels, guest houses, and landlords must comply with legal requirements regarding the accommodation of foreign nationals. They must provide timely information about their stay to the relevant authorities under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. In response to the issue, the NCB, along with state police and immigration authorities, will launch a nationwide campaign called “Trinetra” starting September 1, 2026, aimed at identifying and apprehending such illegally staying foreigners suspected of drug trafficking.
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