Nigerian Arrested in India With 5kg Meth, Linked to Alleged Romance Scam Syndicate
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Nigerian Arrested in India With 5kg Meth, Linked to Alleged Romance Scam Syndicate
By Mohammed Ibrahim Abdullahi
A 27-year-old Nigerian national, Obase Prosper, has been arrested in India for allegedly overstaying his medical visa and possessing 5.085 kilograms of methamphetamine valued at over ₹10 crore.
Prosper, an indigene of Imo State, was apprehended during a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force and the Narcotics Control Bureau, Delhi Zonal Unit, at RK Puram in New Delhi.
Indian authorities alleged that the suspect entered the country on a medical visa in 2023 but remained in India after the visa expired.
The authorities also accused him of being a key member of an international online romance scam syndicate that allegedly targeted victims across India through fake social media accounts.
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Speaking on the operation, the Additional Superintendent of Police, STF, Vishal Vikram Singh, said members of the syndicate allegedly created fake profiles on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, impersonating citizens of the United States and the United Kingdom to gain the trust of unsuspecting victims.
According to investigators, the suspects allegedly lured victims into online romantic relationships before claiming they had sent expensive gifts, foreign currency and other valuables to India.
The victims were later contacted by individuals posing as officials of the Indian Customs Department or the Income Tax authorities, who allegedly informed them that the parcels had been intercepted because they contained huge sums of money or valuable items.
The fake officials reportedly demanded payments for customs duties, income tax, Goods and Services Tax and other clearance charges before the non-existent parcels could be released.
Police said the investigation was triggered by a complaint from a resident of Daliganj, Lucknow, who claimed he lost nearly ₹68 lakh after being befriended on Facebook by a woman using the fake identity, “Doris William,” who purportedly claimed to be from England.
Authorities said investigations were ongoing to identify other members of the alleged syndicate and establish the full scope of its operations.
The arrest came as Indian security agencies intensified efforts to dismantle transnational cybercrime and drug trafficking networks operating within the country.
