The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a 63-year-old Chinese national, Ting Hung Kiong, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 31 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, into Nigeria. The suspect, who also holds Malaysian citizenship, was intercepted on Sunday, May 17, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos upon arrival from Thailand via Dubai. NDLEA reported that she concealed the drugs in two large travel boxes.
According to investigators, she claimed she works as a caregiver in Malaysia and stated that her daughter sponsored her trip, which included a stop in Thailand where she allegedly received the illicit substance before heading to Nigeria.
Major Seizure at Lagos Airport Import Shed
In a separate operation, the agency recovered 1,825,710 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg valued at approximately N2.19 billion at the Lagos airport import shed. The consignment, which arrived from India via Emirates Cargo, was handed over by the Nigeria Customs Service after surveillance by NDLEA operatives.
Arrests at Enugu and Abuja Airports
At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, operatives arrested Onyeka Emeka on May 20 after he reportedly excreted 185.36 grammes of cocaine following his arrival from Sierra Leone via Addis Ababa. In Abuja, NDLEA also arrested Babatunde Afekhide, a 29-year-old engineer, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport while attempting to travel to Milan, Italy, via Addis Ababa. Officials said 10,280 pills of Tramadol and Tapentadol were found hidden in his luggage.
Interceptions at Courier Facilities
The agency further intercepted multiple drug consignments at courier facilities in Lagos, including MDMA (Ecstasy) hidden in bicycle parts destined for the Netherlands, Tramadol concealed in soap bound for the United States, and tablets hidden in body cream headed for the United Kingdom.
Seizures in Edo, Ekiti, and Other States
NDLEA also reported major seizures in Edo and Ekiti states, including 489kg of cannabis in Owan East LGA and over 1,100kg of skunk cannabis in Ikole-Ekiti, where a 54-year-old suspect, Ogundana Adebayo Julius, was arrested. In Lagos, another 59kg of cannabis was recovered from a warehouse in Badagry, while 196,000 pills of Exol-5 were seized along the Zaria-Kano road.
NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, commended operatives involved in the operations across Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Edo, Ekiti, Seme, and Kano commands, urging them to sustain ongoing efforts under the agency's War Against Drug Abuse campaign.
