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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, Mary Yetunde Barek, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. The suspect, who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, was apprehended at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on June 28 while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London. A search of her luggage uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine carefully disguised as bunches of plantain and packed alongside other food items.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the suspect admitted ownership of the illicit drugs during interrogation. In a related operation, the agency also dismantled another cocaine trafficking network after intercepting 5.8kg of cocaine hidden inside the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters destined for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Investigators later arrested a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra Malaysia, identified as the alleged mastermind, along with several other suspects linked to the shipment.
The NDLEA also announced other major drug seizures across the country, including the recovery of 43,980 tramadol capsules concealed in vehicle fuel tanks in Taraba State, methamphetamine seizures in Kaduna, and large quantities of cannabis recovered in Ebonyi, Plateau, and Gombe states. NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) commended officers involved in the operations and urged commands nationwide to sustain the agency’s efforts in combating drug trafficking while expanding its anti-drug awareness campaign.
