The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has arrested a 29-year-old Nigerian national for allegedly smuggling cocaine concealed inside loaves of bread to evade detection.The accused has been identified as Olajide Esther Iyanuoluwa, a native of Nigeria. According to the police, she allegedly cut open the inner portion of bread loaves, hid 120 gm of cocaine inside, and packed them to make the consignment look like ordinary food items.Investigators said the accused was transporting the drug from Mumbai to Bengaluru in a private bus, using the unusual concealment method to avoid suspicion during checks. Acting on specific intelligence, the CCB officials intercepted her and conducted a thorough search.The police seized 120 gm of cocaine, valued at approximately ₹65 lakh in the international market.Probe revealed that the accused came to Delhi in 2024 on a student visa claiming to pursue studies at a university. However, without enrolling in any college, she stayed in areas such as Ghatkopar (Gala Nagar), Ambawadi, and Nallasopara in Mumbai. She procured cocaine from her friend in Mumbai and, as per his instructions, transported and supplied the same to designated locations.Further probe revealed that she used to travel from Mumbai to Bengaluru in private buses and transport cocaine by concealing it in bread and similar products to avoid detection.Based on a specific information, a team of officials tracked Olajide to her friend’s house from the bus stand where she got down and walked to her friend’s house carrying a packet of bread. The police raided the house and initially found nothing. But when they checked the packet of bread she was carrying, they found the drugs concealed inside the loaf, a police officer said.A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and further investigation is under way to ascertain the source of the drugs, the intended recipients in Bengaluru, and whether an inter-State or international network was involved, the police said.In a similar case, the Jalahalli police have arrested two drug peddlers hailing from Kerala for allegedly trafficking narcotic substances in the city.The accused have been identified as Nikhil Raj, 30, and Melvin Monsi, 23. Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted an operation and apprehended the duo, seizing 247 gm of hydro ganja and 19 gm of MDMA worth ₹26.9 lakh from their possession.According to the police, the accused used to procure the drugs from Kerala and transport them to Bengaluru, where they were allegedly involved in peddling the drugs to customers in the city. The police said Nikhil, a high school dropout, was working as cab driver in the city, while his associate Melvin, a BA graduate and claimed he was a social worker, the police said.Published - December 23, 2025 07:27 pm IST