Indian police have arrested a Nigerian woman and a taxi driver after allegedly recovering 3.6 kilogrammes of heroin during an intelligence-led operation in Tarn Taran district, Punjab.
The suspects were apprehended near the Goindwal bypass on the Amritsar-Bathinda highway following a special operation conducted by the CIA Staff, Tarn Taran, local authorities said.
According to reports by The Times of India, the operation was carried out based on intelligence received by security operatives.
The Senior Superintendent of Police, Tarn Taran, Surender Lamba, said the raid was conducted under the supervision of Inspector Rupinderpal Singh.
Lamba disclosed that police intercepted a grey taxi near the Goindwal bypass and arrested a woman identified simply as Bela, described as “a native of Delta State, Nigeria, currently residing in Delhi,” alongside the taxi driver, identified as Dalip Kumar from Noida in Uttar Pradesh.
During a search of the vehicle, police allegedly recovered “3.6 kg of heroin,” along with a mobile phone, the taxi used in the operation and “Rs 1,500 suspected drug money.”
The police chief alleged that Kumar had been assisting the Nigerian woman in transporting the narcotics.
“Kumar was assisting the woman in transporting heroin for financial gain,” Lamba said.
He further claimed that preliminary investigations linked the suspect to a broader international trafficking network.
“Initial investigations revealed that Bela was part of an international drug trafficking network linked to Pakistani smugglers,” he stated.
According to the police, the suspect allegedly coordinated heroin shipments smuggled across the India-Pakistan border for distribution in Punjab, Delhi and other parts of India.
“A case has been registered against the accused under Section 21-C of the NDPS Act at City Tarn Taran police station,” Lamba added.
The arrest comes amid a series of recent drug-related cases involving Nigerian nationals in India, with several arrests reported in recent months over alleged narcotics trafficking and immigration violations.
