0
0
The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police in Bengaluru have arrested a 29-year-old Nigerian woman, Olajide Esther, for smuggling cocaine concealed inside bread loaves.
Esther was apprehended on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, while traveling on a private bus from Mumbai to Bengaluru. Police seized 121 grams of cocaine, valued at approximately Rs 65 lakh, from her possession.
Authorities said Esther had cleverly cut open bread slices to hide the drugs and avoid suspicion. A senior police officer stated that, based on credible intelligence, a special CCB team tracked her movements and intercepted her upon arrival in the city.
During a search, police found the cocaine packed with other food items in her backpack. She is believed to have been actively involved in drug distribution in Bengaluru, sourcing the narcotics from Mumbai and delivering them via private buses.
According to investigators, Esther obtained the cocaine from a male associate in Mumbai and was instructed to personally deliver it to another Nigerian national in Bengaluru, a measure aimed at minimizing suspicion and avoiding courier-based detection.
Following her statement, police conducted a follow-up operation near Varthur and arrested the intended recipient, who was subsequently deported.
“This case highlights how traffickers continually innovate, using everyday items like food to conceal drugs,” a senior officer said.
A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered, and investigations are ongoing to trace Esther’s network and other links in the drug supply chain.
According to the Times of India, Esther had arrived in New Delhi on a student visa but did not enroll in any educational institution. Instead, she frequently moved around Mumbai and its suburbs, including Ghatkopar (Gala Nagar)
