By Abigail David

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, Mary Barek, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said Barek, a caregiver based in the United Kingdom, was intercepted at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on June 28 while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.

According to the agency, a search of her luggage uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine, weighing 13 kilograms, disguised as hands of plantain and packed alongside other food items. Babafemi said the suspect admitted ownership of the seized drugs during interrogation.

The NDLEA also announced the arrest of Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, over an alleged attempt to export cocaine hidden inside cartons of Orijin Bitters bound for Kuala Lumpur.

Babafemi said Onyeka was arrested on June 29 in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State after investigators identified him as the alleged leader of a drug trafficking syndicate. The agency had earlier intercepted 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.8 kilograms concealed inside nine cartons of the herbal drink in a cargo shipment destined for Malaysia.

Four other suspects, including a cargo agent, a driver, a trader and a supplier of the cartons used to conceal the drugs, were earlier arrested during the investigation, the NDLEA said.

In separate operations, the agency reported the arrest of a suspect in Taraba State with 43,980 capsules of Tramadol hidden inside modified vehicle fuel tanks. It also announced arrests in Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau and Gombe states, where operatives recovered methamphetamine, skunk and cannabis sativa in various quantities.

The NDLEA said it continued its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign across schools, workplaces, worship centres and communities nationwide.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations, urging commands across the country to sustain efforts in drug enforcement and public awareness.