The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its fight against drug trafficking, with a series of high-profile arrests and seizures reported across Nigeria in recent days. One notable case involved Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, a 24-year-old Thai national, apprehended on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. She was caught attempting to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud—a potent synthetic cannabis strain—weighing 46.60 kilograms into the country. The illicit consignment was concealed in her luggage, uncovered during passenger clearance on a Qatar Airways flight from Thailand via Doha. According to Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Wimonnat confessed to being a hired courier, lured by a drug cartel with a promise of $3,000 for a successful delivery.
Elsewhere, NDLEA operatives thwarted another smuggling attempt on Friday, February 21, at the MMIA export shed. A syndicate’s plan to ship 68 parcels of Ghanaian Loud, totaling 42.2 kilograms, to London, UK, hidden in crated carton walls, was foiled. Three suspects, including a freight agent and two dispatch riders, were initially detained, leading to the arrest of the operation’s mastermind, Samuel Bitris, at his Ajah residence in Lagos.
The agency’s successes extended beyond Lagos. On February 20, at the Port Harcourt Port Complex in Rivers State, officers intercepted 49,000 tramadol pills (225mg) stashed in 49 cartons within a 40-foot container during a joint inspection with Customs and other security agencies. Meanwhile, in Nasarawa State, two suspects were nabbed on February 22 with 517 kilograms of skunk, and in Niger State, another duo was arrested with 62.7 kilograms of the same drug on February 20.
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continues its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitization programs in schools, workplaces, and communities nationwide. Recent efforts targeted institutions like Maku Grammar School in Oyo State and Jama’atu Islamiyya Secondary School in Kogi State. Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), NDLEA’s Chairman, praised the agency’s balanced approach to reducing both drug supply and demand, commending operatives for their relentless efforts. These operations underscore the NDLEA’s commitment to dismantling drug networks and safeguarding Nigeria’s future, one seizure at a time.
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