A 33-year-old Nigerian national, Geoffrey Dozieobiibe, was recently deported from Hyderabad, creating ripples in the city’s ongoing battle against narcotic rackets and illegal immigration. According to law enforcement sources, Geoffrey illegally entered India via Nepal in 2019, successfully evading airport immigration controls by coming overland.

For the past several years, he resided in Hyderabad’s Tolichowki neighborhood, where police believe he became actively involved with local drug peddlers operating in both Hyderabad and Bengaluru. His presence came under scrutiny after anti-narcotics teams stepped up surveillance of suspected foreign nationals in the city’s drug underworld.

Although the police did not recover any narcotic substances from him during his arrest, investigators cited credible intelligence pointing to his association with known peddlers and criminal actors. Unable to produce valid travel documents during interrogation, Geoffrey’s fate was sealed when verification through the Foreigners Regional Registration Office and the Hyderabad Narcotic Enforcement Wing confirmed his illegal status.

Deportation proceedings were initiated swiftly. With assistance from the Nigerian Embassy, Indian authorities acquired an emergency travel certificate, expediting his removal. Officials cited the risk he posed to the public, especially given the suspected likelihood of his continuing to collaborate with narcotics traffickers across southern India. Hyderabad police have stressed that such deportations send a strong message to international crime networks: that Indian agencies remain vigilant and committed to disrupting transnational drug syndicates.

This case is not unique. In the last year alone, agencies in Hyderabad and Cyberabad have deported dozens of African nationals—many from Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Cameroon, and other countries—after similar crackdowns on them. Recently, a birthday party raid in Moinabad led to the detention of 36 African nationals, with 23 immediately deported after they were found to have overstayed their visas.

Some had been living in India for over a year without proper documentation, and their involvement in illicit drug distribution rings came to light during police interrogations. These operations have exposed how some foreign nationals, initially arriving on legitimate student, business, or tourist visas, slip into illegal status and, in some cases, criminal activity, once their visas expire.

Data from April 2025 show that more than 370 foreign nationals are overstaying in Telangana alone, with at least 20 students having gone completely missing from local college records, sparking further fears about organized crime and unmonitored movement.

The Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau reports that over the past decade, 270 foreign nationals have been arrested for drug-related offenses, many of whom have been used as low-level couriers or “foot soldiers” by international cartels. This pattern of overstaying and covert criminal activity is a worrying trend for Hyderabad’s authorities, who have now instituted more rigorous checks in educational institutions and hospitality sectors and are collaborating closely with embassies and immigration offices to streamline the deportation and blocklisting process.

The city’s reputation as a hub for educational and medical tourism means that it remains a draw for genuine visitors; however, continued vigilance is necessary to ensure that it does not turn into a haven for underground criminal activity.