In one of the largest coordinated crackdowns this year, Delhi Police detained 260 individuals from African nations during a sweeping operation aimed at tackling drug trafficking and illegal overstays across the western belt of the Capital.
The action codenamed&nbsp;&ldquo;Operation Clean Sweep&rdquo;, was launched simultaneously across Dwarka, West and Outer districts on Sunday, following persistent complaints about undocumented foreign nationals and landlords renting homes without proper verification.
Joint Commissioner of Police Jatin Narwal said the campaign was part of Delhi Police&rsquo;s intensified efforts to dismantle drug networks and identify people staying without valid visas. &ldquo;The operation was part of the ongoing campaign to root out the drug menace and take action against overstaying or undocumented foreign nationals,&rdquo; he said.
Across Dwarka alone, police apprehended 210 individuals, including women and children, for allegedly overstaying, possessing invalid documents or being found with narcotic substances. West district officers detained 45, while another 21 were rounded up by Outer district teams.
A massive door-to-door and beat-wise verification drive was conducted, involving nearly 600 personnel, four ACPs and 20 inspectors. During checks, officers also uncovered expired visas, forged documents and drug possession among both foreign nationals and a handful of Indian citizens.
Senior officers said the crackdown has also widened to include house owners who rented out rooms without police verification. Over 25 landlords have been identified and face legal action.
So far, police have registered 26 cases under the NDPS Act and 14 under the Foreigners Act, with more expected as verification continues.&nbsp;A brief scuffle broke out among some detainees during the operation, prompting preventive action against 49 individuals, all foreign nationals.
Preliminary data shows the detainees include 210 men, 68 women, 9 juveniles and 6 Indian nationals. The majority are from Nigeria, followed by individuals from Ivory Coast, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Cameroon, Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe. &ldquo;The exercise will continue periodically to ensure all illegally overstaying foreign nationals are identified and deported,&rdquo; Narwal added.

Delhi Police Detain 260 in Anti-Drug Raids

‘Operation Clean Sweep’ targets drug networks, fake visas and illegal stay across Delhi

Delhi Police Detain 260 in Anti-Drug Raids

‘Operation Clean Sweep’ targets drug networks, fake visas and illegal stay across Delhi

November 10, 2025 | 19:02 IST