A 25-year-old Nigerian woman, Ifeoluwa Akinwunmi, has been arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) in Bengaluru for allegedly trafficking a large quantity of narcotics.

Akinwunmi, who reportedly worked as a hairstylist and nail technician, claimed she had come to India with the intention of starting a beauty salon.

However, she was apprehended on Tuesday, June 10, in the Tarahunase village area of Rajanukunte Main Road, after authorities discovered 5.325 kilograms of MDMA crystals in her possession.

The drugs, concealed in a bag containing 11 churidars (traditional Indian clothing), are estimated to be worth Rs 10 crore (approximately ₦1.8 billion).

The arrest followed a tip-off that led CCB operatives to intercept Akinwunmi as she arrived from Delhi. According to police, the suspect, who is also known as “Princess,” was believed to be acting as a courier for a drug trafficking network.

“She was supposed to deliver the drugs to a group of African nationals operating in the city,” a police official said. “We observed four men on two scooters nearby, but they did not approach to collect the consignment. She was apprehended while waiting with the bag.”

During questioning, Akinwunmi claimed she was unaware of the contents of the package, saying a friend in Delhi had asked her to hand it over to an unidentified man wearing a black hat. She also told investigators that she was the daughter of a Nigerian civil servant and had plans to open a salon in Bengaluru, though she declined to provide further personal information.

Further investigations revealed that Akinwunmi entered India in October 2021 on a business visa, which she later converted to a student visa to study at a university in Telangana. However, authorities say she never enrolled and has been illegally residing in India since her visa expired in 2022.

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The arrest comes just days after another Nigerian national, Emmanuel Bediako (also known as Maxwell), was arrested in a separate drug-related incident by the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau.

Police say they have credible leads on Akinwunmi’s associate, believed to be her boyfriend, who is currently at large in Delhi. She has been transferred to the Chikkajala Police Station, where she remains in custody as further investigations continue.

Authorities are working to determine whether Akinwunmi is connected to other drug cases across the country.