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NDLEA Arrests US-Based Grandma With 9.45kg Loud, South African Woman With 36.65kg Cocaine
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother with 9.45kg of cannabis, popularly known as loud, and a 34-year-old South African woman allegedly attempting to smuggle 36.65kg of cocaine out of Nigeria.
The arrests were made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, amid a nationwide crackdown that also yielded large quantities of illicit drugs in several states.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed on Sunday that the South African suspect, Qhina Beauty, was arrested on October 7 while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.
A search of her luggage uncovered 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg, concealed in seven parcels wrapped in cellophane tape and mixed with dried pepper.
Babafemi said Qhina told investigators she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 to collect the drugs and had been promised R20,000 by another South African woman for delivering the consignment.
She allegedly identified two other members of the syndicate, including a US-based individual and a Lagos car dealer.
Investigations led to the arrest of the dealer, 46-year-old Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, on October 14 at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos. He allegedly admitted receiving Qhina at the airport and arranging accommodation for her at two hotels ahead of her departure.
In a separate operation on October 21, NDLEA operatives arrested Anetor Gloria Ubong, a 62-year-old realtor based in Richmond, Texas, upon her arrival from Houston aboard a United Airlines flight.
Officers reportedly found 9.45kg of loud in 18 parcels concealed with gift-wrapping paper inside one of her checked-in boxes.
Ubong, who holds Nigerian and US passports, allegedly told investigators that her daughter and her daughter’s future brother-in-law delivered the package to her home in the US for onward delivery to her daughter’s fiancé in Nigeria.
The NDLEA also reported multiple arrests and seizures across the country.
In Lagos, operatives arrested Eletu Rasheedat, 41, in Eti-Osa on October 23 with 5,820 diazepam pills, 780 tramadol tablets, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies.
In Warri, Delta State, Peter Ugochukwu, 51, was arrested with thousands of tramadol capsules and tablets, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 Rohypnol tablets, diazepam and other controlled substances. Another suspect, Helen Bakporo Samson, 46, was arrested with 6kg of skunk.
In Oyo State, Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi, 41, was arrested in Ibadan after allegedly evading arrest following the seizure of 197.8kg of cannabis from his residence in September.
Other operations led to the seizure of 97.2kg of cannabis in Kano, 60.175kg in Taraba, 81.49kg in another Taraba operation, 379kg in Bauchi and 583kg from an abandoned farm in Ondo State.
In Niger State, Emmanuel Ekene, 26, was arrested with 64,000 opioid pills, including tramadol and diazepam.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed two cannabis farms with an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg, burnt 450kg of processed cannabis and recovered another 97kg as exhibits. A woman, Mary Edokhai, 42, was also arrested with 35kg of the substance.
The agency said it also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign in schools and communities across several states.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations and urged personnel nationwide to sustain efforts against drug trafficking and substance abuse.
