Nigerian hairstylist arrested in India with N1.8bn worth of drug

A 25-year-old Nigerian woman, Ifeoluwa Akinwunmi, has been arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Wing of the Central Crime Branch in India for alleged drug trafficking.

Akinwunmi, who reportedly works as a hairstylist and nail artist, claimed she had travelled to India to open a beauty salon.

On Sunday that she was arrested last Tuesday at Tarahunase village, Rajanukunte Main Road, Bengaluru, for allegedly being in possession of 5.325 kilograms of MDMA crystals, estimated to be worth Rs 10 crore (over N1.8bn).

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Her arrest came just two days after another Nigerian national, Emmanuel Bediako, also known as Maxwell, was apprehended by the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau for a similar offence.

According to The New Indian Express, the CCB acted on a tip-off and intercepted Akinwunmi as she arrived from Delhi with a suspicious bag. Inside the bag were the drugs and 11 new churidars (traditional Indian outfits).

“She is a courier. She had come to hand over the drugs to a group of African peddlers,” a police officer said.

“We noticed four men on two scooters in the area, but they did not collect the parcel. Princess was arrested while standing with the bag,” the officer added.

During interrogation, the suspect, popularly known as Princess, reportedly claimed she was unaware of the contents of the bag.

She told officers that a friend in Delhi had instructed her to deliver it to a man wearing a black hat.

She further stated that she intended to start a salon business in Bengaluru and identified herself as the daughter of a Nigerian civil servant, though she refused to provide additional personal details.

The report revealed that Akinwunmi entered India in October 2021 on a business visa but later obtained a student visa to study at a university in Telangana.

However, she never enrolled and has been illegally overstaying in the country since her visa expired in 2022.

“There are credible leads on her boyfriend in Delhi, who is currently absconding. She will be taken into police custody for further investigation.

“This is the first case registered against her in the city, and we are yet to verify if there are any cases elsewhere in the country,” another officer added in the report seen by PUNCH Metro on Sunday.

Akinwunmi has since been handed over to the jurisdictional Chikkajala Police Station as investigations continue.

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