India police arrest Nigerian woman with N41m cocaine

Indian authorities have arrested a Nigerian woman after allegedly recovering cocaine worth about N40.9 million from her in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

The suspect, identified as Emmanuel Joy, a Lagos resident, was apprehended by officers of the Chandan Nagar Police near IT Park, Sinhasa, according to News18 Hindi.

Police reportedly recovered 57.18 grammes of cocaine, valued at more than Rs29 lakh, from a transparent package allegedly concealed inside a black bag she was carrying.

The arrest was made during intensified security checks ahead of the Rakshabandhan and Janmashtami celebrations. Officers conducting patrols in the area reportedly became suspicious after noticing Joy with the bag.

Police said they questioned her but were dissatisfied with her responses before searching her in the presence of female officers.

Investigators allege that Joy had travelled from Mumbai to Indore with the intention of supplying the cocaine.

According to the report, Joy entered India from Nigeria on August 14 with a seven-month business visa. She had reportedly been staying in Bandra East, Mumbai, where she worked at a hair salon alongside her sister.

During questioning, she allegedly told investigators that she bought cocaine cheaply and planned to sell it for a profit in Indore. Police said they were verifying the account as part of the ongoing investigation.

A case has been filed against her under Sections 8 and 21 of India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

Authorities have also examined her passport, visa and immigration records, while her mobile phone and other digital information are being analysed to determine whether other people were involved.

Joy was reportedly taken before a court following her arrest and remanded in custody pending further investigation.

Police are now trying to establish the source of the cocaine, its intended recipient in Indore and whether the suspect was connected to a wider drug trafficking network operating between Mumbai and Indore.