National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 34-year-old South African woman, Qhina Beauty, with 36.65 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Gatekeepers News reports that the agency also arrested a Lagos-based car dealer, Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, 46, over his alleged involvement in the drug trafficking operation.
According to a statement by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi on Sunday, Beauty was arrested on October 7 at the airport’s departure hall while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.
A search of her two travelling bags led to the discovery of 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg. The drugs were reportedly wrapped in cellophane tape, mixed with dried pepper and packed into seven parcels.
During interrogation, Beauty reportedly told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 to collect the consignment. She said another South African woman recruited her and promised to pay her 20,000 rand upon successful delivery.
The suspect reportedly identified two other alleged members of the trafficking network, one based in the United States and the other a Lagos-based car dealer.
Further investigations led to the arrest of Umunnakwe on October 14 at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, following surveillance at his residence in Shasha.
NDLEA said the car dealer admitted receiving Beauty at the airport and arranging her accommodation at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin before moving her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport ahead of her departure.
In a separate operation at the Lagos airport, the agency arrested a 62-year-old Nigerian-American woman, Anetor Gloria Ubong, with 9.45kg of cannabis known as loud on October 21.
The agency said the woman, a realtor based in Richmond, Texas, was arrested after arriving from Houston aboard a United Airlines flight.
A search of her checked-in luggage reportedly uncovered 18 parcels of the substance concealed with gift-wrapping paper.
NDLEA said the arrests formed part of wider operations targeting drug trafficking and the distribution of illicit substances across several states.
