NDLEA ARRESTS SOUTH AFRICAN WOMAN WITH 36.65KG COCAINE, US-BASED GRANDMOTHER WITH LOUD

NDLEA ARRESTS SOUTH AFRICAN WOMAN WITH 36.65KG COCAINE, US-BASED GRANDMOTHER WITH LOUD

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old South African woman, Qhina Beauty, with 36.65kg of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother, Anetor Gloria Ubong, with 9.45kg of imported cannabis, known as loud.

The arrests were part of intelligence-led operations across Lagos, Delta, Kano, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba and Oyo states, which also resulted in the seizure of tons of illicit drugs and pharmaceutical opioids.

Qhina was arrested on October 7 while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha. A search of her two bags uncovered 30 blocks of cocaine concealed with dried pepper. She reportedly told investigators she came to Nigeria specifically to collect the consignment for a promised payment of R20,000.

Further investigations led to the arrest of a 46-year-old Lagos car dealer, Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, on October 14. He allegedly admitted receiving Qhina at the airport and arranging accommodation for her before her planned departure.

Ubong, a realtor based in Richmond, Texas, was arrested on October 21 after arriving from Houston aboard a United Airlines flight. Officers discovered 18 parcels of loud weighing 9.45kg in her checked luggage. She reportedly claimed the consignment was delivered to her home in the United States by her daughter and the daughter’s future brother-in-law for onward delivery to her daughter’s fiancé in Nigeria.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives also arrested Eletu Rasheedat, 41, at Eti-Osa on October 23, recovering 5,820 diazepam pills, 780 tramadol tablets, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies.

In Delta State, officers arrested Peter Ugochukwu, 51, in Warri, recovering 29,350 tramadol capsules, 6,620 tramadol tablets, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 Rohypnol tablets, 3,500 diazepam tablets, injectable opioids and other controlled substances. A physically challenged woman, Helen Bakporo Samson, 46, was also arrested at Enhere Junction, Warri, with 6kg of skunk.

In other operations, NDLEA operatives seized 197.8kg of cannabis linked to a suspect who was later arrested in Ibadan; 97.2kg of cannabis in Kano; 60.175kg in Taraba; and another 81.49kg handed over by the police in the state. In Niger State, officers arrested Emmanuel Ekene, 26, with 64,000 opioid pills, including tramadol and diazepam.

In Bauchi, Jamilu Mustapha, 45, also known as Last Card, was arrested with 379kg of cannabis. Meanwhile, a raid on a farm in Akure South, Ondo State, yielded 583kg of abandoned cannabis, while two farms in Edo State containing an estimated 2,023.14kg of cannabis were destroyed. Officers also burnt 450kg of processed cannabis and recovered 97kg as exhibits. A suspect, Mary Edokhai, 42, was arrested in a related operation.

The agency said its commands also sustained War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools and communities across several states to discourage drug trafficking and substance abuse.

Commending officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), urged personnel nationwide to sustain the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse through vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-led operations.