Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a 24-year-old Thai woman, Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, for attempting to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent synthetic cannabis strain, weighing 46.6 kilograms into Nigeria.
She was arrested on February 20 during routine passenger clearance at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, following her arrival on a Qatar Airways flight from Thailand via Doha, Qatar.
The illicit drugs were discovered concealed in her luggage during the inspection.
A statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi revealed that Wimonnat confessed she had been hired by a drug trafficker to smuggle the narcotics into Nigeria. She claimed the drug cartel had promised her $3,000 for the successful delivery of the drugs.
In a separate operation, Babafemi reported that NDLEA operatives foiled an attempt to ship 68 parcels of Ghanaian Loud, weighing 42.2 kg, hidden within the walls of crated cartons bound for London, UK. The drugs were intercepted at the export shed of the Lagos airport on February 21. Three individuals, including a freight agent and two dispatch riders, were arrested in connection with the attempted shipment. The operation culminated in the swift arrest of the mastermind, Samuel Bitris, who was located at his residence in Exodus Estate, Ajah, Lagos.
In another major bust, Babafemi confirmed that NDLEA officers at the Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, Rivers State, intercepted 49 cartons containing 49,000 pills of Tamil, a brand of tramadol (225mg), on February 20. The discovery was made during a joint examination of a 40ft container in collaboration with Customs Service and other security agencies.
Further arrests were made in Nasarawa and Niger states. On February 22, NDLEA operatives in Nasarawa arrested two suspects, Bello Adamu, 40, and Pius Azuka, 42, who were found with 517 kg of skunk at Kokona/Keffi. Additionally, two suspects, Usman Ruwa, 43, and Yunusa Haruna, 45, were apprehended in a Toyota Corolla car on February 20, carrying 62.7 kg of skunk along the Sabon Asibiti road in Kontagora, Niger State.
The NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking continue to result in significant seizures and arrests, underscoring the agency’s commitment to disrupting illegal drug trade activities across the country.
