Hyderabad, Oct 9 (IANS) Hyderabad Police arrested a Nigerian for drug peddling and deported him to prevent him from indulging in undesirable activities detrimental to national security.

Hyderabad Narcotic Enforcement Wing (H-NEW) apprehended the Nigerian national, named Onuorah Solomon Chibueze, 46, who was found illegally overstaying in India.

Y.V.S. Sudheendra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Task Force/HNEW), said the Nigerian was deported on Thursday.

The police investigation revealed that Solomon came to India in 2014 on a medical visa. He landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi and worked in a restaurant in the national capital for three years. He also used to export clothes to Nigeria. He later moved to Bengaluru, where he joined another restaurant and worked there until he shifted to Hyderabad.

He came to Hyderabad in September 2024 and started residing in the Attapur area in a rented house. The DCP said he used to procure Ganja from Pune and Mumbai and sell it to consumers in Hyderabad at higher prices to earn easy money and live a lavish lifestyle.

When he was found wandering in a suspicious manner within the Toli Chowki Police Station limits, he was apprehended. During interrogation, he failed to provide any proper explanation or valid documents pertaining to his stay in Hyderabad. Upon thorough enquiry, he admitted that he did not possess a valid visa or passport and had been overstaying in India even after the expiry of his visa and passport.

The Nigerian’s visa expired in September 2014, and his passport also expired in 2016. Since then, he had been staying illegally in India, associating with drug peddlers, and indulging in unlawful activities.

The HNEW initiated the deportation process with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO), Hyderabad. His emergency travel document was obtained from the Nigerian High Commission, New Delhi, since both his passport and visa had expired. An exit permit was also secured from FRRO, Hyderabad, and his travel ticket was booked from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad.

A team of HNEW, led by G.S. Daniel, Inspector, escorted and deported the foreigner to his native country.

Police in recent times have found that some foreigners coming to India from various countries on Medical Visa, Student Visa and Business Visa, etc., do not return even after the expiry of the passport and visa and indulge in illegal activities like transporting, supplying and selling various types of drugs in India.

HNEW urged the public of Hyderabad to refrain from substance abuse and advised parents to keep a watch on the activities of their children to ensure they do not fall prey to drugs.

–IANS

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