Bengaluru: To deal with the menace of the drug- dealing, the state government is mulling deportation of foreign nationals, especially Nigerians by scrapping cases registered against them.

Taking a cue from the Goa government, that has been withdrawing criminal cases against overstaying foreign nationals and deporting them, the state’s home minister Parameshwar in reply to a question raised by BJP member V. Somanna in the Legislative Council said that he will study the feasibility of this process and if needed the same can be implemented.

Further, he said many come to Bengaluru on student visas. “After the expiry of their visas, they deliberately commit a petty crime for which bail is easy to obtain. The police cannot deport them till the cases are cleared. This allows them to stay and carry out illegal businesses here,” he said. “Thirty-one Nigerians involved in drug mafia have been arrested from 2015 till February this year, and 23 cases have been filed.However, establishing their identity has become a problem.” Recently, a Nigerian who was found selling ganja, died when he was being chased by the police. We do not know whether he was high on drugs or was drunk. His identification has also not been carried out as none has come forward to claim the body,” he said. About 48 police stations have been identified and sensitised about such crimes, he added.