Full list: How Nigerians use fake identities for drug trafficking in India – Report

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The Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau has uncovered how Nigerian nationals residing in India, allegedly involved in drug trafficking, use fake identities, expired visas, and sham marriages to conceal their activities and avoid arrest.

According to a report published on Saturday by ETV Bharat and obtained by PUNCH Metro on Sunday, the TGANB revealed that these drug networks had expanded operations across major Indian cities, including Hyderabad, Goa, Bengaluru, and Delhi.

The report stated, “The Nigerian drug syndicate is using these new methodologies to evade deportation.”

The investigation revealed that members of the Nigerian syndicates routinely secured counterfeit passports from countries such as Ghana, Liberia, and Ivory Coast to facilitate their entry into India.

Even after being arrested, the report noted, many suspects resumed their drug operations shortly after being released on bail, often under newly assumed identities, making it increasingly difficult for authorities to track them.

Detailing its findings, the TGANB report claimed that no fewer than six active Nigerian drug gangs are currently trafficking narcotics across India.

“One of the masterminds of the syndicate is Stanley, a Nigerian national, who entered India in 2009 and began operations in Goa before spreading his network to other states,” the report noted.

An agency official quoted in the report stated, “Stanley is the face of this racket and has been active for many years. He was arrested and jailed for overstaying his visa, but after being released, he married an Indian woman from Rajasthan to delay deportation.

“From there, he built a network with notorious drug suppliers such as DJ Swadesh, Vikas, and Diwakar Babuso to push drugs in Goa and Hyderabad.”