NDLEA Arrests 67-Year-Old Nigerian-British Woman With 13kg Cocaine In Fake Plantains

NDLEA operatives have arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman after 13kg of cocaine was allegedly found inside fake plantain peels in her luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The suspect, identified by the agency as Mary Barek, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on June 28 while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London. Daily Post gave her name as Mary Yetunde Barek.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said a search of her bags uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine packaged to look like hands of plantain and packed with other food items. The agency said the suspect admitted ownership of the seized drugs during interrogation.

The agency also announced a separate arrest involving Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, who was linked to an alleged attempt to export 5.8kg of cocaine hidden in cartons of Orijin Bitters bound for Kuala Lumpur.

Investigators had earlier intercepted 36 parcels of cocaine hidden inside nine cartons of the drink and arrested four suspects in Lagos before tracing Onyeka to Aziora, Ozubulu, in Anambra State.

Sources: Punch, Daily Post, Channels TV