Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, Mary Yetunde Barek, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The agency disclosed on Sunday that Barek, a United Kingdom-based caregiver, was apprehended at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on June 28 while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.
According to a statement issued by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, a search of the suspect’s luggage uncovered 31 wraps of cocaine expertly packaged to resemble plantain and hidden among food items.
The illicit substance weighed a total of 13 kilograms.
The agency said the suspect admitted ownership of the drugs during interrogation.
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a 45-year-old doctoral student of the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State over the alleged attempted export of 5.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters bound for Kuala Lumpur.
The arrest followed the earlier interception of 36 parcels of cocaine hidden inside the cartons. Investigators had initially arrested four suspects in Lagos, including cargo agent Alalade Taiwo Azeez, driver Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi, trader Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie and Igwilo Chidi Henry, who allegedly supplied the cartons used for the concealment.
Further investigations, the agency said, led to Onyeka’s arrest in his hometown of Aziora, Ozubulu, where he was identified as the alleged mastermind of the drug trafficking syndicate.
In Taraba State, NDLEA officers also arrested Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, 30, along the Zaki-Biam-Wukari Road on July 4 after allegedly discovering 43,980 capsules of Tramadol hidden inside the fuel tanks of a vehicle travelling from Onitsha, Anambra State.
The agency also recorded arrests in other parts of the country.
In Kaduna State, officers apprehended Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, during a raid in Gwantu, recovering 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Similarly, Francis Ifara Eja, 65, was arrested in Ebonyi State with 231.7 kilograms of skunk, while 75-year-old Alhaji Babani was apprehended in Plateau State with 15 kilograms of the same substance.
In Gombe State, operatives arrested Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, at Kuri village in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area, where they allegedly recovered 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms.
The NDLEA added that its commands nationwide continued public enlightenment campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative, conducting sensitisation programmes in schools and communities across Anambra, Enugu, Ogun and Kano states.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations for the successful arrests and seizures, urging them to sustain the momentum in combating drug trafficking and promoting drug abuse prevention across the country.