Indian police have arrested a 29-year-old Nigerian woman for alleged drug trafficking after uncovering cocaine hidden inside loaves of bread in an apparent bid to evade detection.
Operatives of the Central Crime Branch (CCB), acting on intelligence, arrested the suspect with 121 grammes of cocaine concealed in food items.
The seizure, estimated to be worth about ₹1.2 crore, was reported by The Times of India on Tuesday and has drawn attention to the increasing use of everyday items by drug traffickers to move narcotics.
The suspect, identified as Olajide Esther Iyanuoluwa, reportedly arrived in New Delhi last year on a student visa.
Investigations, however, showed that she never enrolled in any educational institution.
Police said she instead moved frequently across Mumbai and its suburbs, including Ghatkopar (Gala Nagar), Ambawadi and Nallasopara, allegedly coordinating and engaging in drug trafficking activities.
Senior officers disclosed that Olajide allegedly sourced the cocaine from a male associate in Mumbai and was instructed to personally deliver it to another Nigerian national in Bengaluru.
“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 revealed.
The CCB said it launched an operation after receiving a tip-off that a Nigerian woman was travelling by a private bus from Mumbai to Bengaluru to meet a local drug peddler near Varthur. She was arrested shortly after arriving in the city.
A search of her backpack reportedly led to the discovery of cocaine concealed inside bread loaves packed with other food items. Investigators said holes had been drilled into the loaves to hide the narcotics.
Acting on Olajide’s statement, police carried out a follow-up operation near Varthur and arrested the intended recipient of the drugs. Officials said the Nigerian buyer was deported shortly after his arrest.
“The case shows how traffickers are constantly innovating ways, using common household items and food as cover,” a senior officer said, adding that the CCB had intensified surveillance on interstate drug trafficking networks.
Police said further investigations were ongoing to uncover the wider supply chain and track other members of the syndicate, warning that anyone involved in drug trafficking would face strict prosecution.