NDLEA arrests woman travelling to India for ‘fibroid surgery’ with 2.2kg cocaine at Lagos airport
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 43-year-old woman at the Murtala Muhammed international airport, Lagos, for trying to smuggle 2.20 kilograms of cocaine concealed in her suitcase.
Femi Babafemi, spokesperson of the NDLEA, said in a statement issued on Sunday that Adekoya Mary, a makeup artist, who was allegedly travelling to India for a fibroid operation was arrested on June 16 following credible intelligence.
Babafemi said the suspect kept under observation and permitted to check in her bags before being arrested at the boarding gate of her Qatar Airways to India via Doha.
He noted that two sizable parcels of cocaine factory-fitted into the walls of her bag were discovered by operatives upon investigation.
The NDLEA spokesperson added that the suspect confessed to embarking on the trip under the guise of seeking medical attention but was motivated by financial incentives.
“Further investigation revealed the suspect was recruited and funded by a drug baron currently at large, Akeem Ayinde Adekanbi who owns Rockford Hotel located in Sango area of Ogun state while he lives at Igbe Laara in Igbogbo area of Ikorodu, Lagos state”, the statement reads.
Babafemi said NDLEA operatives of the directorate of operations and general investigation also intercepted a shipment of sewn female dresses containing 1.3kg of loud, a strong strain of cannabis, going to Bahrain at a courier company in Lagos on June 19.
He said that at another courier firm the previous day, on June 19, operatives uncovered 850 grams of cocaine concealed in cloth hangers heading to Australia.
