A 25-year-old Nigerian national, Ifeoluwa Akinwunmi, has been arrested by India’s Anti-Narcotics Wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation for alleged possession of 5.325 kilograms of MDMA crystals, a synthetic drug commonly known as “Ecstasy,” valued at Rs 10 crore (over ₦1.8 billion).
According to The New Indian Express, Akinwunmi—a hairstylist and nail technician—was apprehended last Tuesday in Tarahunase village, Rajanukunte Main Road, Bengaluru, following a tip-off. The arrest comes just weeks after another Nigerian national, Emmanuel Bediako (alias Maxwell), was also arrested by Telangana authorities for drug trafficking.
Police sources revealed that Akinwunmi was caught with a suspicious bag containing the drugs concealed alongside 11 new churidars, traditional Indian outfits. Investigators believe she was acting as a drug courier, sent to deliver the parcel to a group of African drug peddlers who never showed up.
“She is a courier. She had come to hand over the drugs to a group of African peddlers. We noticed four men on two scooters in the area, but they did not collect the parcel. She was arrested while waiting with the bag,” an official told the newspaper.
FALSE IDENTITY AND OVERSTAY
Further investigations revealed that Akinwunmi entered India in October 2021 on a business visa, later switching to a student visa to study in Telangana. However, she never enrolled in any academic program and has been overstaying illegally since her visa expired in 2022.
The suspect reportedly claimed she did not know the bag contained illegal substances, stating that a friend in Delhi had asked her to deliver it to a man wearing a black hat.
She identified herself as the daughter of a Nigerian civil servant, though she declined to provide further personal details. Police also confirmed that her boyfriend in Delhi, believed to be connected to the drug network, is currently on the run.
“This is the first case registered against her in the city, and we are yet to verify if there are any other cases elsewhere in the country,” the officer added.
Akinwunmi remains in police custody as further investigations continue into the drug trafficking network.