NDLEA Arrests Ugandan Woman With 1.15kg Cocaine Hidden In Underwear

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old Ugandan woman, Farida Nansubuga, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.15 kilogrammes of cocaine out of Nigeria.

The illicit drug was reportedly concealed in her underwear as she prepared to board a flight to Uganda at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the suspect was arrested on November 3 during a joint passenger screening operation involving NDLEA operatives and aviation security personnel at Terminal 2 of the airport.

According to him, a search conducted on the woman led to the discovery of 87 wraps of cocaine strapped around her pelvic region and concealed beneath two layers of underwear.

Babafemi said preliminary investigations revealed that Nansubuga arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer session at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos.

He said while other members of her delegation returned to Uganda after the religious gathering, the suspect remained behind to collect the drug consignment for a friend identified as Joy, who lives in Uganda.

The agency said the suspect claimed that her Nigerian contact arranged a vehicle to convey her to a hotel on the morning of her departure, where a man handed her the cocaine and instructed her to conceal it beneath her clothing.

She reportedly expected to receive at least $1,000 after successfully delivering the drugs.

NDLEA Seizes N900m Opioid Shipment

In a separate operation at the Lagos airport, the agency intercepted 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526 kilogrammes and valued at about N900 million.

The consignment arrived from Ahmedabad, India, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight on November 3 and was declared as Paracetamol 500mg.

Babafemi said NDLEA officers placed the shipment under surveillance after becoming suspicious of its declaration.

A joint examination conducted with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies on November 6 revealed that 10 of the 11 cartons contained the opioid tablets, while the remaining carton contained paracetamol.

Cannabis Hidden In Wooden Sofas

The agency also intercepted 32 parcels of a cannabis strain known as loud, weighing 16.15 kilogrammes and concealed inside two wooden sofas in a consolidated cargo shipment from Houston, United States.

The consignment arrived aboard a Turkish Airlines flight on November 4.

A freight agent, Ibrahim Abdulwaheed Adewale, was arrested while attempting to clear the shipment.

A follow-up operation on November 6 led to the arrest of Adeoye Sarafa Ojo, a 34-year-old caterer from Ibadan, who allegedly came to collect the package.

Drugs Destined For UK, Australia Intercepted

The NDLEA further reported intercepting illicit drug consignments destined for the United Kingdom and Australia.

The seizures included 46 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.2 kilogrammes, 296 tablets of Swinol and several shipments of tramadol concealed in vitamin C containers and female headwear.

The agency said its operatives also recovered substantial quantities of cannabis, opioids and other illicit substances in separate operations across Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Taraba, Enugu and Delta states.

The agency said investigations into the seizures and arrests were ongoing.