The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) will launch a fortnight-long nationwide campaign called 'Trinetra' in the first week of September to identify and act against illegally overstaying foreign nationals suspected of involvement in drug trafficking, an official confirmed. The drive, to be conducted in coordination with State and Union Territory Police and Immigration authorities, marks a sharp escalation in India's enforcement posture against transnational narcotics networks.

What the Trinetra Campaign Involves

The campaign will rely on intelligence-based identification and verification of foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas and are suspected of links to drug trafficking networks. Authorities will examine immigration status, map connections to organised narcotics supply chains, and initiate legal action in coordination with relevant agencies.

The NCB described the initiative as part of its broader network-centric approach — aimed at dismantling not just individual traffickers but the entire ecosystem of facilitators and support systems sustaining organised and transnational drug trafficking in India.

The Arrests That Triggered the Drive

The campaign follows the recent arrest of four Nigerian nationals who had overstayed their visas and were allegedly operating a transnational drug network from Indian soil. In a related multi-week operation spanning New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, the NCB arrested five foreign nationals — including a woman — and seized contraband valued at nearly ₹15 crore.

According to the NCB, these cases underscore a pattern: foreign nationals exploiting expired visas to embed themselves in organised criminal networks, using India as both a transit and operational base.

Obligations for Accommodation Providers

The NCB has also put hotels, guest houses, landlords, and other accommodation providers on notice. Under the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, such providers are legally required to furnish prescribed information about foreign guests to the authorities in a timely manner.

The bureau stressed that this reporting obligation is not merely a procedural formality — it is a critical law-enforcement tool for identifying overstaying foreign nationals before they can entrench themselves in criminal activity.

Zero Tolerance Policy and What Comes Next

The Trinetra campaign is framed under the Government of India's Zero Tolerance against Drugs policy, which prioritises dismantling entire trafficking networks over individual seizures. The NCB's coordinated approach with state police signals that the campaign will have operational teeth beyond mere identification.

With the campaign set to roll out in September, enforcement agencies are expected to intensify checks at accommodation hubs, transit points, and locations flagged through prior intelligence inputs. The outcome of Trinetra is likely to shape future policy on visa overstay enforcement and its intersection with narcotics control.