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 disguised as plantain through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to the agency, Barek, a UK-based caregiver, was intercepted while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London. A thorough search of her luggage reportedly uncovered 31 parcels of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels and packed alongside food items. She allegedly admitted ownership of the drugs during interrogation.
In a separate operation, NDLEA arrested Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old doctoral student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, over an alleged attempt to export cocaine hidden inside cartons of Orijin Bitters bound for Kuala Lumpur. Investigators said the arrest followed the earlier interception of 5.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed in nine cartons of the herbal drink.
The agency also recorded major drug seizures across the country. In Taraba State, operatives recovered 43,980 capsules of tramadol hidden inside modified fuel tanks, while two suspects were arrested in Kaduna with 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
In Ebonyi and Plateau states, elderly suspects aged 65 and 75 were arrested with 231.7 kilograms and 15 kilograms of skunk respectively. Meanwhile, in Gombe State, two suspects were apprehended with 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers involved in the operations and urged them to sustain the crackdown on drug trafficking while intensifying public awareness campaigns against drug abuse.