Nigerian-British Woman Arrested with 13kg Cocaine in Lagos

On June 28, 2023, Mr. Mari Yetunde Berek, a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.

A thorough search of her luggage revealed 31 large wraps of cocaine, expertly packaged to resemble hand plantain, totaling 13 kilograms. During interrogation, she admitted ownership of the cocaine.

Additionally, the NDLEA arrested Nwabuez Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old PhD student from Universiti Putra Malaysia, for attempting to ship cocaine concealed in a carton of Orijin bitter bound for Kuala Lumpur. The agency's operations led to the arrest of four suspects involved in this shipment.

Further investigations revealed additional arrests related to drug trafficking, including Daniel Harrison Ugwuok, who was apprehended with 43,980 capsules of tramadol, and others found with methamphetamine and skunk.