The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, Mary Barek, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said Barek, a UK-based caregiver, was apprehended on June 28 at Terminal 2 while preparing to board a flight to London. A search of her luggage revealed 31 wraps of cocaine disguised as plantain and hidden among food items. She reportedly admitted ownership of the drugs.
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives arrested Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old PhD student in Malaysia, for allegedly leading a drug trafficking syndicate. Investigators linked him to 5.8 kilograms of cocaine hidden in cartons of herbal drink bound for Kuala Lumpur. He was arrested on June 29 in Anambra State after earlier arrests of four suspects connected to the shipment in Lagos.
Other operations across the country led to multiple arrests and seizures. In Taraba State, officers recovered 43,980 capsules of Tramadol hidden in modified fuel tanks. In Kaduna, two suspects were arrested with 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine, while in Ebonyi and Plateau states, large quantities of cannabis were seized from elderly suspects.
In Gombe State, NDLEA operatives intercepted 556 kilograms of cannabis and arrested two suspects.
The agency said it also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitization programs in schools and communities nationwide.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers for combining enforcement efforts with public awareness campaigns and urged them to sustain the momentum.
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