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| NCB to launch drive to identify overstaying foreigners indulging in drug crimes in India | | | Early Times Report
NEW DELHI, Aug 18: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday said it will launch a nationwide campaign named 'Trinetra' in September to identify illegally overstaying foreign nationals in India suspected of being involved in drug crimes.
The fortnight-long drive will begin in the first week of next month and will involve other anti-narcotics agencies from the Centre and the states, besides immigration authorities and state and Union Territory police forces. "The campaign will focus on intelligence-based identification and verification of such persons, examination of their immigration status and linkages with drug trafficking networks, and appropriate legal action in coordination with the concerned authorities," the NCB said in a statement. The federal agency said past cases involving the identification and arrest of overstaying foreign nationals engaged in the illegal narcotics trade has necessitated the requirement of such a drive. There is a need for greater vigilance regarding foreign nationals who continue to stay in India after their visas expire, it said.
The NCB will also seek cooperation from hotels, guesthouses, landlords and other accommodation providers asking them to comply with the legal provisions governing the accommodation of foreign nationals, including timely furnishing of prescribed information regarding their stay to the concerned authorities as per the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025.
"Such reporting is important not merely for immigration regulation but also for enabling law enforcement agencies to identify illegally overstaying foreign nationals and prevent their involvement in organised criminal activities," it said.
To support this point, the agency cited a case where four overstaying Nigerian nationals were arrested in an operation spanning over a month.
The operation began with the NCB and the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) jointly raiding a location in Delhi's Khanpur area and arresting Nigerian national Obase Prosper Ogboronjor.
The Nigerian had been overstaying in India after his medical visa expired in June 2023, the NCB said, adding he was wanted by the UP STF in a cyber fraud case involving about Rs 68 lakh.
Further investigation in this case led the agencies to Gurugram (Haryana), where another overstaying Nigerian national was arrested.
Leads in this case took the sleuths to Mehrauli in Delhi, where two more Nigerians were arrested along with drugs in early August. Both these foreigners had been "illegally" staying in India for over 13 years, the NCB said.
This operation has so far resulted in seizure of 14.78 kg Amphetamine, 67.84 kg Pseudoephedrine, 318 grams cocaine and six grams of heroin collectively valued at Rs 15 crore, the NCB said. |
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