The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman after operatives uncovered 13 kilograms of cocaine ingeniously concealed inside fake plantain peels packed among food items in her luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The suspect, a UK-based caregiver, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on June 28 while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.
In a statement on Sunday, the agency said a thorough search of her luggage uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine, carefully moulded and packaged to resemble hands of plantain, weighing a total of 13 kilograms.
The suspect reportedly admitted ownership of the illicit consignment during interrogation.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate linked to a shipment bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with the arrest of a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra Malaysia in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.
His arrest followed the interception of 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.8 kilograms concealed inside the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters prepared for export.
The agency said four suspects had earlier been arrested in Lagos during the investigation. They include a cargo agent, a driver, a trader who delivered the consignment, and Igwilo Chidi Henry, who allegedly supplied the cartons used to conceal the cocaine.
According to the NDLEA, intelligence obtained from the suspects led operatives to Onyeka, who was arrested while hiding in his hometown of Aziora, Ozubulu, in Anambra State. He was identified as the alleged leader of the trafficking syndicate.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 30-year-old suspect along the Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Area after discovering 43,980 tramadol capsules concealed inside two vehicle fuel tanks.
The suspect was intercepted on July 4 while travelling from Onitsha, following actionable intelligence.
In Kaduna State, operatives arrested two suspects during a raid in Gwantu Local Government Area on July 2, recovering 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Similarly, in Ebonyi State, another suspect was arrested in Ikwo Local Government Area on July 4 with 231.7 kilograms of skunk, while a 75-year-old suspect was apprehended in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State on July 3 with 15 kilograms of the same substance.
In Gombe State, NDLEA officers acting on intelligence arrested two suspects at Kuri village in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area on July 1. They were found in possession of 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms.
Beyond enforcement operations, the agency said its commands nationwide sustained the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitisation programmes in schools, workplaces, places of worship and communities.
According to the agency, awareness lectures were held at Girls Secondary School, Abagana, Anambra State; Government Technical College, Obe, Enugu State; Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State; and FCE Staff Demonstration School, Kabuga, Kano State, among other institutions.
Commending officers of the MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi and Gombe commands for the successful operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised their efforts in disrupting drug trafficking networks while sustaining public sensitisation campaigns.
Marwa urged officers across the country to maintain the momentum and continue raising the agency’s operational standards in the fight against illicit drug trafficking.
