The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother, Mary Yetunde Barek, after allegedly discovering 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside fake plantain peels packed among food items in her luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
Arrest at Departure Hall
According to the NDLEA, Barek, who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on Sunday, June 28, while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London. The agency's Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said a detailed search of the suspect's luggage uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine ingeniously packaged to resemble hands of plantain. The drug, weighing a total of 13 kilograms, had been carefully concealed among other food items in what investigators described as one of the more sophisticated concealment methods recently uncovered at the airport.
Sophisticated Concealment Method
Babafemi said the fake plantain peels were designed to closely resemble real plantains in an apparent attempt to evade airport screening and security checks. He stated, "A thorough search of her bags resulted in the discovery of 31 big wraps of cocaine which were packaged to appear like plantain hands, weighing a total of 13 kilograms." The suspect admitted ownership of the cocaine during interrogation. "In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits," Babafemi added.
Related Nationwide Operations
The arrest formed part of a series of nationwide anti-narcotics operations announced by the NDLEA on Sunday. In a related operation, the agency arrested 45-year-old Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a PhD student at the University of Putra Malaysia, over an attempt to export 5.8 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters destined for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The NDLEA said investigations led operatives to Onyeka's hideout in Aziora, Ozubulu, Anambra State, where he was arrested after intelligence linked him to the international drug trafficking syndicate.
Additional Seizures
The agency also announced the arrest of another suspect in Taraba State, where operatives recovered 43,980 capsules of tramadol concealed inside modified fuel tanks of a vehicle travelling along the Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Area. The NDLEA said the arrests underscore its continued efforts to dismantle international drug trafficking networks using Nigerian airports and other transport routes. The agency urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing intelligence that could assist security agencies in combating illicit drug trafficking across the country.
