Operatives of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) in India have arrested a 29-year-old Nigerian national, identified as Olajide Esther Iyanuoluwa, for allegedly trafficking cocaine concealed inside bread loaves.

Indian police said a total of 121 grams of cocaine, estimated to be worth about ₹1.2 crore, was recovered from the suspect, who was arrested following intelligence reports on interstate drug trafficking.

According to police findings, Olajide arrived in India last year on a student visa but investigations revealed that she never enrolled in any academic institution, contrary to the purpose of her entry into the country.

Instead, authorities said she frequently changed residences across Mumbai and its suburbs, including Ghatkopar (Gala Nagar), Ambawadi and Nallasopara, allegedly to evade security scrutiny while engaging in illicit drug activities.

Senior police officials disclosed that the suspect allegedly sourced the cocaine from a male accomplice in Mumbai and was instructed to personally transport the drugs to Bengaluru, where it was to be handed over to another Nigerian national.

“She was directed to carry the drug herself and personally deliver it to another Nigerian national residing in Bengaluru in order to minimise suspicion and avoid courier interception,” a senior investigating officer said.

The CCB said it launched an operation after receiving a tip-off that a Nigerian woman was travelling by a private bus from Mumbai to Bengaluru to meet a drug peddler near Varthur area of the city.

The suspect was arrested shortly after arriving in Bengaluru, while a search of her backpack led to the discovery of cocaine carefully concealed inside bread loaves, which were packed alongside other food items.

Police explained that the bread loaves had been deliberately drilled with holes to hide the narcotics, describing the method as part of emerging tactics used by traffickers to disguise illegal drugs as ordinary food items.

Following her arrest and subsequent confession, police carried out a follow-up operation near Varthur, where the intended recipient of the drugs was also arrested.

Officials said the Nigerian recipient was deported from India shortly after his arrest, in line with immigration and drug control regulations.

A senior CCB officer said the case underscored how drug traffickers continue to devise innovative means of concealing narcotics using everyday household items.

“The case highlights how traffickers are constantly evolving their methods, using common food items as cover to evade detection,” the officer said, adding that the CCB had intensified surveillance on interstate drug trafficking networks.

Police said investigations were ongoing to uncover the wider drug supply chain and identify other suspects linked to the operation, warning that anyone found involved in drug trafficking would face the full weight of the law.