NDLEA Arrests Nigerian-British Grandmother with 13kg Cocaine Hidden in Plantain Peels

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, identified as Mary Yetunde Barek, after allegedly discovering 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside fake plantain peels packed among food items in her luggage.

The suspect was apprehended at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London on June 28, 2026.

According to the NDLEA, a detailed search of her luggage led to the recovery of 31 large wraps of cocaine carefully packaged to resemble hands of plantain. The illicit consignment weighed a total of 13 kilograms.

The agency said the suspect, who is based in the United Kingdom and works as a caregiver, admitted ownership of the recovered drugs during interrogation.

The arrest formed part of a broader nationwide crackdown by the anti-narcotics agency targeting drug trafficking syndicates and their collaborators.

In a related operation, the NDLEA dismantled an international cocaine trafficking network linked to a shipment destined for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Investigators arrested a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, who was identified as the alleged mastermind of the syndicate.

The agency said the investigation began after operatives intercepted 5.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters intended for export to Malaysia. The seizure led to the arrest of several suspects in Lagos before investigators traced Onyeka to his hometown in Anambra State, where he was arrested while reportedly in hiding.

The NDLEA has reiterated its commitment to intensifying intelligence-led operations aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks and preventing illicit substances from being smuggled into and out of Nigeria.