A 27-year-old Nigerian national, Obase Prosper, has been arrested in Delhi, India, over allegations of drug trafficking and involvement in an international romance scam syndicate.
According to Indian authorities, operatives recovered 5.085 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of more than ₹10 crore from the suspect during the operation.
Authorities said Obase entered India on a medical visa but allegedly remained in the country illegally after the visa expired in 2023.
The suspect was arrested on Friday, July 17, 2026, during a joint operation carried out by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Delhi.
Speaking on the arrest, Additional Superintendent of Police, STF, Vishal Vikram Singh, alleged that Obase was a key member of an international romance scam network that targeted victims across India.
According to investigators, members of the syndicate allegedly created fake accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, posing as citizens of the United States and the United Kingdom to establish romantic relationships with unsuspecting Indian men and women.
Police alleged that once the victims gained trust, they were informed that expensive gifts, foreign currency, jewellery, or other valuables had been shipped to them from abroad. They were then allegedly instructed to pay customs duties, Goods and Services Tax (GST), and other fabricated charges before the supposed packages could be released.
Authorities said the investigation gained momentum after a resident of Daligan, Lucknow, reported losing nearly ₹68 lakh to an individual operating a Facebook account under the name “Doris William”, who claimed to be from England.
Investigators further alleged that the victim was provided with a forged Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) certificate to convince him that the transaction was genuine.
A criminal case has been registered at the Madiaon Police Station in Lucknow, and investigations are ongoing to identify other members of the alleged syndicate and determine the full extent of its operations.
As of the time of this report, the allegations against Obase Prosper remain under investigation, and he has not been convicted by a court of law. Indian authorities have not announced when formal trial proceedings will commence.