Indian security operatives have arrested a 29 year old Nigerian woman for allegedly trafficking cocaine concealed inside bread loaves, following an intelligence led operation by the Central Crime Branch in India.
The suspect, identified as Olajide Esther Iyanuoluwa, was arrested after detectives intercepted her during a trip from Mumbai to Bengaluru.
Police said she was found in possession of 121 grams of cocaine, valued at about ₹1.2 crore, carefully hidden inside hollowed bread loaves packed among other food items in her backpack.
According to investigators, Olajide arrived in India last year on a student visa. However, police said inquiries showed she never enrolled in any academic institution.
Instead, she allegedly moved frequently between different locations in Mumbai and its suburbs, including Ghatkopar, Ambawadi and Nallasopara, where she was suspected to be involved in drug trafficking activities.
Senior police officers disclosed that the cocaine was sourced from a male associate based in Mumbai. Olajide was reportedly instructed to personally deliver the drugs to another Nigerian national residing in Bengaluru to avoid raising suspicion.
“She was directed to carry the drug herself and hand it over to another Nigerian national residing in Bengaluru. This was done to minimise suspicion and avoid courier based interception,” an investigating officer said.
The Central Crime Branch swung into action after receiving a tip off that a Nigerian woman was travelling by private bus to Bengaluru to meet a drug peddler near the Varthur area.
She was arrested shortly after arriving in the city.
During a search, officers discovered that holes had been drilled into the bread loaves to conceal the cocaine, a method police said points to the increasing sophistication of drug traffickers.
“The case shows how traffickers are constantly innovating ways, using common household items and food as cover,” a senior officer said, adding that surveillance on interstate drug trafficking networks had been intensified.
Following Olajide’s arrest and statement, police carried out a follow up operation near Varthur, leading to the arrest of the intended recipient of the drugs.
Authorities confirmed that the Nigerian buyer was deported shortly after his arrest.
Police said investigations are ongoing to trace the wider supply chain and identify other individuals linked to the trafficking network, warning that anyone found involved in drug related crimes would face the full weight of the law.
