Bengaluru: Nigerian woman caught smuggling drugs in churidar pieces; Rs 10 crore worth MDMA seized

Bengaluru: In a major bust, Bengaluru police have arrested a 25-year-old Nigerian woman for allegedly smuggling synthetic drugs concealed inside dress materials.

The accused, identified as Akinwunmi Princess Ifelwa alias Princess, was found transporting 5.325 kg of MDMA crystals from Delhi to Bengaluru by bus, hidden inside churidar dress pieces. The seized drugs are estimated to be worth around Rs 10 crore.

According to police, Princess had arrived in India on a business visa on October 4, 2021, and later switched to a student visa claiming admission at a Telangana-based university. However, she never joined the college. Instead, she reportedly teamed up with another woman and began peddling drugs to make easy money and live a lavish lifestyle.

The accused used to purchase churidar dress pieces and cleverly hid MDMA crystals inside them before transporting them by bus to Bengaluru. She allegedly supplied the drugs to local peddlers in the city.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) received a tip-off on June 10 that a foreign woman was illegally selling narcotics near the Rajanukunte main road under the Chikkajala police limits. Based on the information, a team led by officers from the Narcotics Control Wing of CCB apprehended the woman and recovered the drugs.

In addition to the drugs, the police also seized an Apple mobile phone and 11 churidar dress pieces used to conceal the contraband.

Princess had previously worked as a hair braider and pedicurist. She reportedly came into contact with another Nigerian woman who offered her money in exchange for transporting drugs to Bengaluru via bus, avoiding air travel to escape scrutiny. She used a Nigerian mobile number while operating in India, possibly to evade local surveillance, police added.

Preliminary investigations suggest the possibility of additional handlers or contacts along the Delhi–Bengaluru route. Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh stated that further inquiries are underway to identify her network and supply chain.