(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) The Operations Cell of Delhi Police's South West District has traced and detained two illegal African migrants who had been residing in India without valid documents for over a decade, officials said on Thursday.

The accused have been identified as Emmanuel Kido Obuh (35) and Harrison Umunna (43), both residents of Akumazi Umuocha, Delta State, Nigeria.

According to police, a fresh deportation process has been initiated against the duo with the assistance of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Delhi, after completion of all necessary formalities.

Officials said that to curb crime and identify foreigners living illegally in the district, teams from the Operations Cell were directed to collect intelligence and take firm action against such individuals.

A special team led by Inspector Gajender Singh, in charge of the Anti-Narcotics Cell, and supervised by ACP (Operations) Vijaypal Tomar, was tasked with identifying and verifying illegal migrants, particularly in vulnerable areas.

While investigating a case under the NDPS Act, the team received a tip-off about some illegal African nationals roaming in the Kishangarh area near Mehrauli.

Acting swiftly, the police approached the suspects and asked for their identification documents. Both claimed to be Nigerian nationals who had come to India on tourist and business visas, but said they had lost their passports and visas, the officials said.

Subsequent verification with the Nigerian High Commission and immigration authorities revealed that the two had entered India in 2010 but never returned and were living without valid visa documents. During a search of their mobile phones, police also found digital copies of their passports and Nigerian national ID cards, according to the police.

The accused reportedly told police that they had been working in housekeeping jobs with other African nationals in Delhi, Gurugram (Haryana), and Noida (Uttar Pradesh), and were looking for employment at the time of their detention.

After completion of verification and legal procedures, the police initiated deportation proceedings through the FRRO, New Delhi.

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