Ingrid Rosa Benevides
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a Brazilian national at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after uncovering 30 kilograms of heroin concealed in factory-sealed coffee packs, marking one of the largest drug seizures at the airport in recent years.
The suspect, identified as Ingrid Rosa Benevides, was intercepted upon arrival from Brazil via a Qatar Airways flight following intelligence-led surveillance. NDLEA officials said a thorough search of her luggage led to the discovery of multiple coffee packages stuffed with a substance that later tested positive for heroin, with an estimated street value running into billions of naira.
According to the agency, the suspect claimed she travelled to Nigeria for a holiday, but investigations are ongoing to uncover the international drug trafficking network behind the shipment and identify the intended destination of the illicit drugs.
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The arrest forms part of a broader nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking by the NDLEA. In related operations across the country, the agency recently intercepted thousands of opioid pills at Lagos airport, seized large consignments of cannabis along coastal routes, and recovered heroin, cocaine and other illicit substances during coordinated raids in several states.
NDLEA authorities say traffickers are increasingly adopting sophisticated concealment methods, including hiding drugs in everyday consumer items such as foodstuffs, beverages and packaged goods, in an attempt to evade security checks. The agency has intensified airport screening, intelligence sharing and international cooperation to counter evolving smuggling tactics.
Reaffirming its commitment, the NDLEA warned that Nigeria will not serve as a transit hub for international drug syndicates, adding that suspects arrested in connection with drug trafficking will be prosecuted in line with the law.
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