The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 63-year-old Chinese woman, Ting Hung Kiong, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 31 kilograms of synthetic cannabis into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
The agency disclosed on Sunday that the suspect was apprehended on May 17, 2026, at the Terminal 2 Arrival Hall of the airport upon her arrival from Thailand via Dubai aboard an Emirates Airline flight.
NDLEA operatives said the suspect, a Chinese national naturalised in Malaysia, was intercepted with two large suitcases containing “Canadian Loud,” a potent synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 31kg.
Investigations revealed that she travelled from Malaysia to Thailand before proceeding to Nigeria through the United Arab Emirates. During interrogation, she reportedly claimed to be a caregiver in Malaysia and said her daughter sponsored the trip.
She added that she spent two weeks in Thailand before collecting the illicit consignment at the airport for delivery in Nigeria.
In a related operation, the anti-narcotics agency said it intercepted 1,825,710 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg valued at over ₦2.19bn at the Lagos airport import shed. The consignment, which arrived from India via an Emirates Cargo flight, was handed over to the NDLEA by the Nigeria Customs Service after being placed under surveillance.
At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, operatives arrested a suspect, Onyeka Valentine Emeka, who excreted 185.36 grams of cocaine after being placed under observation. He was apprehended during the clearance of passengers arriving from Sierra Leone via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
Similarly, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NDLEA officers arrested a 29-year-old building engineer, Babatunde Prosper Afekhide, while attempting to board a flight to Milan, Italy. A search of his luggage uncovered 10,280 pills of Tramadol and Tapentadol concealed inside a carton hidden in his suitcase.
In Lagos, the agency also intercepted 1,174 pills of MDMA, popularly known as ecstasy, concealed in bicycle parts and destined for the Netherlands. Additional seizures included 66 pills of Tramadol hidden in a soap container bound for the United States and 18 tablets concealed in a body cream container heading to the United Kingdom.
Beyond the airports, NDLEA operatives recorded major breakthroughs across the country. In Edo State, a raid in Owan East Local Government Area led to the recovery of 489kg of skunk and nine kilograms of cannabis seeds.
A suspect, Isah Sani, was also arrested along the Zaria-Kano road with 196,000 pills of Exol-5, while 59kg of skunk was recovered from a warehouse in Mowo, Badagry, near the Seme border.
In Ekiti State, operatives raided a warehouse in Ikole-Ekiti, seizing a massive 1,116kg of skunk and arresting a 54-year-old suspect, Ogundana Adebayo Julius.
Meanwhile, the agency said it had sustained its War Against Drug Abuse campaign across schools, religious centres, and communities nationwide, as part of efforts to curb substance abuse.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations across Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Edo, Ekiti, Kano and border commands for their efforts.
He urged them to maintain the momentum in drug supply reduction while intensifying sensitisation campaigns aimed at discouraging drug abuse across the country.
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