A 25-year-old Nigerian woman, Ifeoluwa Akinwunmi, has been arrested in India by the Anti-Narcotics Wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) for alleged possession of illegal drugs worth over N1.8 billion.
Akinwunmi, who reportedly works as a hairstylist and nail artist, claimed she travelled to India to open a beauty salon.
Authorities detained her last Tuesday in the Tarahunase village area of Bengaluru, following a tip-off. She was found in possession of 5.325 kilograms of MDMA crystals concealed in a bag, along with 11 new churidars.
The drugs are estimated to be worth Rs 10 crore (approximately N1.8 billion).
According to Indian police, Akinwunmi acted as a courier and was supposed to hand over the narcotics to a group of African drug peddlers.
Officers said they observed four unidentified men on two scooters in the vicinity, but they left without collecting the package.
Akinwunmi, also known as Princess, was apprehended while waiting with the bag.
During interrogation, she allegedly claimed she was unaware of the contents and said a friend in Delhi instructed her to deliver the bag to a man wearing a black hat.
She also stated she intended to start a salon business in Bengaluru and identified herself as the daughter of a Nigerian civil servant but refused to disclose further personal information.
Investigations revealed that Akinwunmi entered India in October 2021 on a business visa, later switching to a student visa for a university in Telangana.
However, she never enrolled and has remained in the country illegally since her visa expired in 2022.
Police are now searching for her boyfriend in Delhi, who is believed to be connected to the case and is currently on the run.
Authorities confirmed this is the first case registered against Akinwunmi in Bengaluru, and they are working to determine if she has any criminal history elsewhere in India.
She has been transferred to the Chikkajala Police Station for continued investigation.