Nigerian Hairstylist, Onuoha Blessing Arrested In India For Smuggling Cocaine In Bread
According to reports, the arrest occurred on Monday in Hyderabad, where Blessing had allegedly travelled to deliver the substances to an individual.
A Nigerian national, Onuoha Blessing, who works as a hairstylist in Bengaluru, has been taken into custody by the Anti-Narcotics Bureau in Hyderabad, Telangana State, allegedly in possession of illegal drugs.
According to reports, the arrest occurred on Monday in Hyderabad, where Blessing had allegedly travelled to deliver the substances to an individual.
According to the Times of India, Onuoha Blessing allegedly transported cocaine from Bengaluru to Hyderabad in 2018, concealed in a bread loaf. The report states that police claim her associate provided the bread and booked her ticket to Hyderabad on a private bus, and that she received an initial payment of Rs 10,000 for her role in drug trafficking.
In 2017, Onuoha reportedly connected with another Nigerian woman, also named Blessing, on social media.
This individual, who resided in Bengaluru, allegedly offered assistance to Onuoha and facilitated the acquisition of a passport from the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. Onuoha then used this passport to enter India in 2018.
According to the report, Onuoha Blessing was informed by Blessing that the cost of her travel to India was N3.5 million, and in exchange, Onuoha worked in Blessing’s store for over a year without pay.
During this time, Onuoha met Divine, a Nigerian national, who introduced her to the drug trade. Onuoha then made multiple trips to Hyderabad, including one in 2020, where she was arrested by excise officials and later released on bail.
Following her release, she returned to Bengaluru, where she was subsequently arrested for overstaying her visa. After her release from detention, Onuoha allegedly resumed her involvement in the drug trade, working with Divine to transport cocaine.
“Every time, she would hand over the drug to agent and leave for Bengaluru. But when she landed in Hyderabad a week ago to deliver cocaine, the agent was not available, due to which she waited for few more days and landed in the police net,” the report added.
