A Nigerian national has been arrested in India after police allegedly recovered 73 grams of cocaine valued at Rs38 lakh (about N27 million) during a raid in Nalasopara, Maharashtra.

The arrest was made during a police combing operation in the Pragati Nagar area of Nalasopara East on Saturday night, according to The Times of India.

Police said 10 teams were deployed for the operation under the supervision of Ashok Virkar, deputy commissioner of police for Zone II. The teams searched several locations, including residences suspected to be linked to drug dealers.

During one of the searches, officers allegedly found 73 grams of cocaine in the possession of a Nigerian national living in the Basera building in Pragati Nagar.

The suspect was arrested and booked under relevant provisions of India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

Police are investigating how the cocaine came into the suspect’s possession and whether he has links to other members of a suspected drug trafficking network.

In June, Indian police arrested another Nigerian national, Eze Samuel Nweze, in Mumbai with 203 grams of cocaine estimated to be worth Rs2.03 crore. Police said Nweze, a native of Ebonyi State, had been living in Nalasopara and was allegedly in Mumbai to supply cocaine to customers.

In December 2025, a 37-year-old Nigerian national, Nguessan Tanguy, was also arrested in Pragati Nagar, Nalasopara East, after police allegedly recovered 60 grams of cocaine valued at Rs12.6 lakh. The arrest followed a tip-off about suspected drug trafficking in the area.

Indian authorities have also reported other narcotics cases involving Nigerian nationals in Nalasopara. In April 2024, police arrested a Nigerian man and recovered cocaine and other drugs valued at about Rs58 lakh from a rented apartment in Pragati Nagar.

The area has therefore remained under increased police scrutiny, with authorities conducting raids and verification operations targeting suspected criminal activity.

The latest operation also comes about a month after police seized drugs estimated at around Rs5 crore in two separate operations in Pragati Nagar, according to the Times of India report.

Police said their investigation into the latest seizure is continuing, particularly to establish the source of the cocaine and identify possible associates or other members of the suspected network.

The arrest remains an allegation at this stage, and the suspect is entitled to due process under Indian law.