Airport security agents have arrested a 63-year-old Chinese woman attempting to smuggle cannabis into Nigeria. Ting Hung Kiong was caught at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on May 17, 2026.
She arrived from Thailand via Dubai on an Emirates flight. Two large travel boxes in her luggage contained 31 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain.
According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, operatives stationed at Terminal 2 intercepted her upon arrival. The suspect, who naturalized in Malaysia and works as a caregiver, disclosed crucial details during questioning.
In her statement, Ting claimed her daughter financed the entire trip. She spent two weeks in Thailand before receiving the drugs at the airport there.
Her daughter allegedly instructed her to deliver the consignment in Nigeria. She'll likely face serious trafficking charges once investigations conclude.
Meanwhile, customs officers working with NDLEA made another major drug seizure at Lagos airport. They recovered 29 cartons containing approximately 1.8 million Tapentadol tablets from an Indian shipment.
The opioid pills are valued at over 2.1 billion naira. An Emirates Cargo flight transported the contraband, which arrived days before the discovery.
Operatives had monitored the shipment closely since its arrival. Customs handed over the drugs to NDLEA on May 22, 2026.
At Enugu's Akanu Ibiam airport, another suspect was caught smuggling cocaine. Onyeka Valentine Emeka was intercepted on May 20 during passenger clearance on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Sierra Leone.
He arrived via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. When placed under observation, Emeka excreted 185.36 grams of the narcotic.
In Abuja, a 29-year-old building engineer faced arrest for attempting drug trafficking. Babatunde Prosper Afekhide was stopped on May 21 before boarding an Ethiopian flight bound for Italy.
His luggage contained over 10,000 opioid pills carefully concealed. Agents discovered Tramaking, Tramadol, and Tapentadol tablets hidden using foil paper inside a carton within his suitcase.
Lagos courier companies also became targets of recent NDLEA operations. Agents intercepted 1,174 MDMA pills hidden in bicycle luggage heading to the Netherlands.
They also found 66 Tramadol tablets concealed in a soap container destined for the United States. Another 18 tablets were discovered inside body cream heading to the United Kingdom.
Edo State recorded significant drug cultivation busts recently. NDLEA operatives raided Igwe community in Owan East Local Government Area on an intelligence tip.
They recovered 59 jumbo bags of skunk cannabis weighing 489 kilograms. Officers also seized 9 kilograms of cannabis seeds from the location.
These seizures reflect intensified efforts by Nigeria's drug enforcement agency. The operations span airports, ports, courier services, and farming communities nationwide.
