Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 24-year-old Thai national, Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, for attempting to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, into Nigeria.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that Wimonnat was intercepted at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with 46.60 kilograms of the illicit substance.
“The suspect, who confessed to being a hired drug trafficker, was arrested on Thursday, February 20, 2025, during the inward clearance of passengers on a Qatar Airways flight from Thailand via Doha. She admitted that the drug cartel that recruited her had promised to pay her $3,000 upon successful delivery of the consignment in Nigeria,” the statement read.
NDLEA Foils Drug Shipment to London
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers intercepted 68 parcels of Ghanaian Loud, weighing 42.2 kilograms, concealed within the walls of crated cartons at the Lagos airport’s export shed.
Three suspects—a freight agent and two dispatch riders—were initially arrested, leading to the swift apprehension of the mastermind, Samuel Bitris, at his home in Exodus Estate, Ajah, Lagos.
Major Seizures in Port Harcourt and Nasarawa
At the Port Harcourt Port Complex, NDLEA officers, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, intercepted a shipment containing 49,000 pills of Tamol, a brand of tramadol, in a 40ft container. The intercepted pills contained 225mg of tramadol, a controlled opioid.
Additionally, in Nasarawa State, two suspects—Bello Adamu, 40, and Pius Azuka, 42—were arrested in Kokona/Keffi on February 22 with 517 kilograms of skunk. Meanwhile, in Niger State, operatives arrested Usman Ruwa, 43, and Yunusa Haruna, 45, with 62.7 kilograms of skunk concealed in a Toyota Corolla.
NDLEA Reaffirms Commitment to Drug Control
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers involved, highlighting their commitment to drug supply reduction and enforcement efforts.
He assured Nigerians that the agency remains steadfast in dismantling drug networks and preventing the illicit flow of narcotics into the country.
