A Thailand lady, Pattaphi Wimonnat, has been arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos State by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after being found with illicit drugs.
Wimonnat was nabbed by the anti-drugs agency for attempting to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 46.60 kilograms into Nigeria.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, added that the suspect was apprehended on Thursday, February 20 after the agency officials thwarted her plans.
He said the suspect was apprehended after the anti-narcotics agency discovered the illicit consignment in her boxes.
“The suspect who confessed to being a hired drug trafficker was arrested on Thursday 20th February 2025 during the inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Thailand via Doha, Qatar at the arrival hall, terminal 2 of the Lagos airport. She said the drug cartel, which recruited her promised to pay her $3,000 upon successful delivery of the illicit drug consignment in Nigeria,” the statement read.
“Another bid by a drug trafficking syndicate to ship 68 parcels of Ghanaian Loud with a total weight of 42.2kg concealed in walls of crated cartons to London, UK, through the export shed of the Lagos airport was also frustrated by NDLEA officers on Friday 21st February.
“Three suspects: a freight agent and two dispatch riders were initially arrested in connection with the seizure before the mastermind of the shipment, Samuel Bitris, was swiftly traced to his Exodus Estate, Ajah, Lagos home where he was arrested.
“In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 22nd February arrested two suspects: Bello Adamu, 40, and Pius Azuka, 42 at Kokona/Keffi with 517kg of skunk, while two other suspects: Usman Ruwa, 43, and Yunusa Haruna, 45, were nabbed in a Toyota Corolla car conveying 62.7 kilograms of skunk along Sabon Asibiti road Kontagora, Niger state on Thursday 20th February.
“With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Maku Grammar School, Tapa, Oyo state; Comprehensive Secondary School, Orogwe, Imo state; Jama’atu Islamiyya Secondary School, Ankpa, Kogi state; and Owerri-Aba Primary School, Ugwunagba, Imo state, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of MMIA, PHPC, Niger, and Nasarwa Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated”.
