A 25-year-old Nigerian national, Ifeoluwa Akinwunmi, alias “Princess,” was arrested on Tuesday by the Anti-Narcotics Wing of Bengaluru’s Central Crime Branch (CCB) for alleged drug trafficking. Authorities seized 5.325 kilograms of MDMA crystals, commonly known as ecstasy, valued at over ₹10 crore (approximately $1.2 million or N1.8 billion) from her possession.
The arrest took place in Tarahunase village on Rajanukunte Main Road, following a tip-off. Acting swiftly, CCB officers intercepted Akinwunmi, a self-proclaimed hairstylist and nail artist, as she arrived from Delhi carrying a bag containing the drugs and 11 new churidar outfits.
Police suspect she was a courier tasked with delivering the narcotics to a group of African peddlers, who failed to collect the parcel. Four men on scooters were spotted nearby but evaded capture.
During questioning, Akinwunmi claimed ignorance about the bag’s contents, stating a friend in Delhi instructed her to deliver it to a man in a black hat. She told police she intended to open a beauty salon in Bengaluru.
Records reveal she entered India on a business visa in October 2021, later obtaining a student visa for a Telangana university she never attended. Her visa expired in 2022, and she has been illegally overstaying since.
Police are pursuing leads on her absconding boyfriend in Delhi and investigating possible prior cases against her. Akinwunmi, who identified herself as a Nigerian civil servant’s daughter, has been handed over to Chikkajala police for further action.