On Tuesday, October 18, the Greater Noida police claimed that they had arrested a gang involved in fake passports and visas. Three Nigerian nationals were also arrested,

Abhishek Verma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida), said that the trio was also linked to drug smuggling and illegally providing mobile SIM cards to foreign nationals in Delhi-NCR.

The accused have been identified as Oladele Jimoh, Azuh Daniel Nwachinemere, and Collins Tabugbo Odimba, all of them presently residing in Delhi.

"The three Nigerian nationals have been arrested with 65 grams MDMA (a drug variety) which is estimated worth around Rs 12 lakh. Eighteen fake passports and 21 fake Visas, 30 mobile phones, and 20 activated SIM cards have been recovered from their possession," Verma told reporters.

"The trio had arrived in India between 2012 and 2018 but were now staying illegally on expired passports and visas," the officer said.

The arrest of the trio comes in the wake of a continued crackdown by the Gautam Buddh Nagar police commissioner on foreign nationals living illegally in India and those engaged in illicit drugs supply, Verma said.

In September, the Greater Noida police arrested five persons, including a Nigerian national, who were allegedly engaged in illegal drugs and SIM card supply in the NCR region.

"After interrogations, the role of these three men also cropped up and they were subsequently tracked down and arrested by a team of Knowledge Park police station," the DCP said.

"They illegally made different visas like - education visa, tourist visa and medical visa for foreigners, particularly those from their country and sold them for Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 each,"

They are suspected to have provided forged documents to around 250 foreign nationals and further investigations into their network are underway, he added.

Verma said the police are coordinating with the Foreign Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) and Ministry of External Affairs for further legalese.

They have been arrested under sections of the NDPS Act along with sections of cheating, and fraud of the Indian Penal Code.

The trio has also been booked under the Foreigners Act.