Indian law enforcement operatives attached to the Central Crime Branch have arrested a 29-year-old Nigerian woman for allegedly trafficking cocaine concealed inside loaves of bread.
Reports by The Times of India on Tuesday said officers recovered 121 grams of cocaine estimated to be worth about ₹1.2 crore, pointing to what authorities described as an emerging pattern of hiding hard drugs in ordinary food items to beat security checks.
The suspect, Olajide Esther Iyanuoluwa, was said to have entered India last year on a student visa. Investigations, however, showed that she did not register with or attend any academic institution after her arrival.
Police sources said she moved repeatedly between several locations in Mumbai and nearby areas, including Ghatkopar, Ambawadi and Nallasopara, where she was allegedly involved in illicit drug distribution.
Investigators disclosed that the cocaine was obtained from a male accomplice in Mumbai, while Olajide was instructed to personally transport the consignment to Bengaluru and deliver it to another Nigerian national.
“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.
Acting on intelligence that a Nigerian woman was travelling by private bus from Mumbai to Bengaluru to meet a drug dealer around Varthur, CCB operatives mounted surveillance and arrested the suspect shortly after she arrived in the city.
A search of her backpack reportedly uncovered bread loaves packed with other food items, inside which the cocaine had been carefully hidden. Police said cavities were created in the loaves to stash the drugs.
Further operations led to the arrest of the intended recipient near Varthur, after which authorities said the Nigerian buyer was deported.
“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 stepped up monitoring of interstate drug trafficking routes.
Police said investigations were continuing to track down other members of the network and dismantle the broader supply chain behind the operation.
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