Eric Patrick
A 25-year-old Nigerian woman, Ifeoluwa Akinwunmi, is facing serious legal trouble in India after she was allegedly caught in possession of drugs valued at over ₦1.8 billion.
Akinwunmi, who is said to be a hairstylist and nail artist, was arrested last Tuesday by officers from the Anti-Narcotics Wing of the Central Crime Branch in Bengaluru.
Authorities detained her in Tarahunase village, near Rajanukunte Main Road, shortly after she arrived from Delhi carrying a suspicious bag.
According to The New Indian Express, the bag was found to contain 5.325 kilograms of MDMA crystals, a banned synthetic drug commonly associated with party use.
The illegal substance was reportedly hidden inside 11 new churidars, traditional Indian garments.
“She is believed to be acting as a courier. She came to deliver the drugs to a group of African peddlers,” said a police officer involved in the case.
“We saw four men on two scooters in the area, but they did not collect the package. Akinwunmi was arrested while still holding the bag.”
The suspect claimed she came to India with plans to open a beauty salon.
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However, she now faces charges under India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985 and the Foreigners Act of 1946.
Under Section 23 of the NDPS Act, individuals caught importing, exporting, or transporting narcotics in commercial quantities are subject to a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, along with substantial fines.
The section partly read, “Where the contravention involves commercial quantity, [the offender shall be punished] with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to twenty years and shall also be liable to a fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to two lakh rupees.”
Under the Foreigners Act of 1946, the Indian government also has the authority to prosecute and deport foreigners involved in criminal activities.
Akinwunmi’s arrest comes just two days after another Nigerian national, Emmanuel Bediako, also known as Maxwell, was apprehended by the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau for alleged drug trafficking.