The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Qhina Beauty, a 34-year-old South African woman, for attempting to smuggle 36.65 kilograms of cocaine through Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s director of media and advocacy, announced the arrest, which took place on October 7, as Beauty was preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.

During a search of her two travel bags, officers discovered 30 blocks of cocaine concealed within dried pepper, wrapped in cellophane tape, and packed into seven parcels.

Beauty informed investigators that she had arrived in Nigeria on September 30 to collect the drugs, lured by a promise of R20,000 from another South African woman for delivering the consignment.

The NDLEA quickly expanded its investigation and identified two additional members of the syndicate: one based in the United States and another, Uchenna Umunnakwe, a 46-year-old car dealer residing in Lagos.

Umunnakwe was arrested on October 14 at Apple Junction after police surveillance tracked his movements.

He admitted to receiving Beauty at the airport and providing her accommodation before her flight.

In a separate operation, the NDLEA apprehended Anetor Gloria Ubong, a 62-year-old Nigerian-American realtor, with 9.45 kilograms of high-grade cannabis known as “loud” at the Lagos airport on October 21.

Ubong had arrived from Houston, Texas, with the drugs concealed in gift-wrapping paper in her luggage.

The agency also reported multiple arrests across Nigeria, including Eletu Rasheedat, 41, in Lagos with various controlled substances, and Peter Ugochukwu, 51, in Delta State, found with thousands of opioid capsules and tablets.

Other arrests included Helen Bakporo Samson, 46, who was caught with 6 kilograms of cannabis in Warri, and Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi, 41, who had previously evaded police after a significant drug seizure.

The NDLEA continues its efforts to combat drug trafficking, recently destroying cannabis farms in Edo State and recovering large quantities of drugs during nationwide operations.

Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa commended personnel for their vigilance and intelligence-led operations, urging them to maintain their commitment to fighting drug abuse and trafficking across the country.