Private detectives attached to India’s Central Crime Branch have arrested a 29-year-old Nigerian national for allegedly trafficking cocaine concealed inside bread loaves to evade detection.
According to a report by The Times of India on Tuesday, officers recovered 121 grams of cocaine, estimated to be worth about ₹1.2 crore, from the suspect. The seizure has drawn attention to the increasing use of everyday food items by drug traffickers to transport narcotics.
The suspect was identified as Olajide Esther Iyanuoluwa, who reportedly arrived in New Delhi last year on a student visa.
Investigations, however, revealed that she never enrolled in any educational institution after entering the country.
Instead, police said she frequently changed locations across Mumbai and its suburbs, including Ghatkopar (Gala Nagar), Ambawadi, and Nallasopara, where she allegedly became involved in drug trafficking activities.
Senior police officers disclosed that Olajide allegedly sourced the cocaine from a male associate in Mumbai and was instructed to personally deliver the drugs to another Nigerian national based 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 reportedly launched a targeted operation after receiving intelligence that a Nigerian woman was travelling by private bus from Mumbai to Bengaluru and was scheduled to meet a local drug dealer near Varthur. She was arrested shortly after arriving in the city.
During a search of her belongings, officers discovered the cocaine hidden inside bread loaves packed among other food items in her backpack. Police said holes had been drilled into the loaves to conceal the drugs.
Following her arrest and statement, authorities carried out a follow-up operation near Varthur, leading to the arrest of the intended recipient of the drugs. Police said the Nigerian buyer was later 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 surveillance on interstate drug trafficking networks.
Investigations are continuing to uncover the wider supply chain and identify other individuals connected to the operation, as police warned that anyone found involved in drug trafficking would face strict legal action.
