🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Nigerian-British grandmother arrested with 13kg cocaine at Lagos airport
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother, Mrs. Mary Barek, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine. The cocaine was concealed in fake plantain peels within her luggage as she tried to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London on June 28. Mrs. Barek, a caregiver in the UK, admitted ownership of the recovered cocaine. In a separate operation, the NDLEA also arrested Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old PhD student, in Anambra State on June 29, identifying him as the leader of a drug trafficking syndicate. This followed the interception of 5.80 kilograms of cocaine hidden in cartons of Orijin Bitters destined for Malaysia. Four other suspects were initially arrested in Lagos in connection with this case. Additionally, NDLEA operatives made several other arrests across different states: Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke was arrested in Taraba State on July 4 with 43,980 capsules of Tramadol; Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, were apprehended in Kaduna State on July 2 with 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine; Francis Ifara Eja, 65, was arrested in Ebonyi State on July 4 with 231.7 kilograms of skunk; Alhaji Babani, 75, was apprehended in Plateau State on July 3 with 15 kilograms of skunk; and Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, were arrested in Gombe State on July 1 with 556 kilograms of cannabis sativa. The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse
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