Indian security agencies have arrested a 27-year-old Nigerian national, Obase Prosper, over allegations of cyber fraud, drug trafficking and immigration violations following a joint operation in New Delhi.

Prosper, who hails from Imo State, was apprehended on Friday during an operation carried out by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) in collaboration with the Delhi Zonal Unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Authorities alleged that he had remained in India after the expiration of a medical visa issued in 2023.

Investigators said officers recovered 5.085 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, estimated to be worth more than Rs10 crore on the illicit market, alongside five mobile phones and two passports during the operation.

According to the STF, Prosper is suspected of belonging to an international cybercrime network that allegedly carried out romance scams by creating fake profiles on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

The group reportedly posed as citizens of the United States and the United Kingdom to establish online relationships with victims across India.

Additional Superintendent of Police, STF, Vishal Vikram Singh, said the suspects allegedly convinced victims that expensive gifts, foreign currency and valuables had been shipped to them from abroad. Victims were then contacted by individuals posing as Customs or Income Tax officials and allegedly told that the parcels had been seized because they contained cash or high-value items.

The victims were subsequently persuaded to make payments for purported customs duties, Goods and Services Tax (GST), income tax and other clearance fees before the non-existent consignments could be released, according to investigators.

The investigation began after a resident of Daliganj in Lucknow reported losing nearly Rs68 lakh in an alleged online scam. Police said the complainant had connected on Facebook with a woman using the name “Doris William,” who claimed to be based in England, and was later persuaded to make multiple payments after being presented with what investigators described as a forged Royal Bank of Scotland certificate.

Authorities said another Nigerian national, identified as Uchenwa, was arrested on May 15, 2026, in connection with the same investigation, while Prosper allegedly remained at large until the latest operation.

Based on intelligence linking Prosper to suspected narcotics trafficking, the STF partnered with the Narcotics Control Bureau to carry out the raid that resulted in his arrest.

During questioning, investigators alleged that Prosper admitted overstaying his visa and claimed he was introduced to the cyber fraud network by other Nigerian nationals. Police further alleged that he confessed the syndicate used fake foreign identities on social media to lure victims before demanding payments through fabricated customs and tax claims.

Investigators also alleged that Prosper admitted working with Uchenwa in orchestrating the alleged Rs68 lakh fraud involving the Lucknow complainant.

The STF said investigations are ongoing to identify other suspected members of the network believed to be operating from Delhi. Authorities are also tracing financial transactions, examining bank accounts and digital wallets, and conducting forensic analysis of the electronic devices recovered during the operation.