ABUJA — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 30.09 kilograms of heroin with an estimated street value of over N3 billion at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja—the largest seizure of its kind ever recorded at the facility.
The arrest was made on Friday, January 23, following intelligence surveillance of inbound international flights. A 30-year-old Brazilian national, Ingrid Rosa Benevides, was taken into custody after arriving on a Qatar Airways flight.
Drugs Concealed in Coffee Packets
NDLEA operatives discovered 21 factory-sealed packs of Brazilian coffee inside the suspect’s checked luggage. Upon inspection, the packs were found to contain a white powdery substance that tested positive for heroin.
In a statement, the agency's Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the seizure, noting that the suspect claimed to be visiting Nigeria on holiday. Benevides reportedly works as a private security officer in Brazil. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the source of the drugs and the trafficking network involved.
Related Interceptions in Lagos
In separate operations in Lagos, NDLEA officers made two additional significant seizures:
* At Murtala Muhammed International Airport: Two passengers, Adediran Adedoyin and Afatakpa Ochuko, were arrested on Tuesday, January 20, while attempting to board a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. A search of their luggage revealed 3,990 pills of tapentadol and tramaking opioids concealed within food items.
* At Jakande Beach, Lekki: In the early hours of Thursday, January 22, the agency’s Marine Command intercepted a wooden boat and recovered 44 jumbo bags of a high-potency cannabis strain known as “Ghana Loud,” weighing 1,848 kilograms. The boat used for transportation was also seized.
A Coordinated Crackdown
Femi Babafemi stated that these successful operations reflect the NDLEA’s intensified efforts to dismantle drug trafficking syndicates exploiting Nigeria’s airports, borders, and coastal routes. All suspects are currently in custody and will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The record heroin seizure in Abuja underscores the continued focus of Nigerian anti-narcotics agencies on intercepting illicit drug shipments entering the country via international travel corridors.
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