Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 63-year-old woman, Ting Kiong, over an alleged attempt to smuggle a large quantity of illicit drugs into Nigeria.
She was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport after arriving on an Emirates flight that travelled from Thailand through Dubai. Authorities said she was found carrying two suitcases containing about 31 kilograms of a strong cannabis strain commonly known as “Canadian Loud.”
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the suspect claimed she works as a caregiver in Malaysia and said her daughter sponsored her trip. She reportedly stayed in Thailand for about two weeks before receiving the drug consignment to deliver in Nigeria.
In a separate operation, the agency intercepted a major shipment of opioids at the airport’s cargo section. The consignment, which arrived from India, contained over 1.8 million tablets of tapentadol, estimated to be worth more than ₦2.1 billion.
Further arrests were made across the country. At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, a suspect identified as Onyeka Valentine Emeka was detained after arriving from Sierra Leone, while in Abuja, a traveller was arrested with thousands of tramadol and tapentadol pills concealed in his luggage while attempting to board a flight to Italy.
The agency also reported multiple seizures through courier services in Lagos, including MDMA pills hidden in unusual items such as bicycle parts, soap containers, and body cream packages bound for Europe and the United States.
Additional operations in states like Edo, Kano, Ekiti, and Lagos led to the recovery of large quantities of cannabis and other illegal substances, alongside several arrests.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations and urged them to maintain the agency’s efforts in reducing drug supply and increasing public awareness nationwide.
