The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old South African woman with 36.65 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother with 9.45kg of cannabis imported from the United States.
The agency also arrested several suspects, including a physically challenged woman, and recovered large consignments of illicit drugs in separate operations across nine states.
The NDLEA disclosed this in a statement by its Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the South African woman, identified as Qhina Beauty, was arrested on October 7 at the airport’s departure hall while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.
A search of her two travelling bags led to the discovery of 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg. The drugs, concealed with dried pepper, were wrapped in cellophane tape and packed into seven parcels.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 specifically to collect the consignment.
She said another South African woman recruited her and promised to pay her 20,000 rand upon successful delivery.
She also allegedly identified two other members of the drug trafficking syndicate, one based in the United States and the other a Lagos-based car dealer.
The NDLEA said its investigation led to the arrest of the car dealer, 46-year-old Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, on October 14 at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, following surveillance at his residence in Shasha.
Umunnakwe allegedly admitted receiving Qhina at the airport, lodging her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin and later moving her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport ahead of her departure.
In a separate operation, operatives arrested Anetor Gloria Ubong, a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother and realtor based in Richmond, Texas, upon her arrival from Houston aboard a United Airlines flight on October 21.
The statement said a search of her two checked-in boxes uncovered 18 parcels of loud, a high-grade cannabis strain, weighing 9.45kg.
The substance was concealed with gift-wrapping paper inside a box.
Ubong, who holds Nigerian and United States passports, reportedly told investigators that her daughter and the daughter’s prospective brother-in-law delivered the box to her home in the US for onward delivery in Nigeria to her daughter’s fiancé, identified as Jibola.
The agency also reported the arrest of a 41-year-old woman, Eletu Rasheedat, in the Eti Osa area of Lagos on October 23. Operatives recovered 5,820 pills of diazepam, 780 tablets of tramadol, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies from her.
UPDATE NEWS:
Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, click here to find out how it works.