Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 63-year-old Chinese woman, identified as Ting Hung Kiong, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport over an alleged attempt to smuggle 31 kilograms of “Canadian Loud” into Nigeria. The suspect was reportedly intercepted with the illicit substance concealed inside large travel boxes shortly after arriving in Lagos from Thailand via Dubai aboard an Emirates Airline flight.
According to reports released by the NDLEA through its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the suspect — said to be a Chinese national naturalised in Malaysia — was arrested at the Terminal 2 Arrival Hall of the airport during a routine inspection operation carried out by anti-narcotics officers. Authorities disclosed that investigations showed the woman travelled from Malaysia to Thailand before eventually making her way to Nigeria through the United Arab Emirates.
The seized substance, popularly known as “Canadian Loud,” is described as a highly potent synthetic strain of cannabis that has increasingly become a major concern for anti-drug agencies across different countries. NDLEA officials stated that the 31kg consignment was carefully hidden inside two oversized travel suitcases allegedly intended for delivery within Nigeria.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly told investigators that she works as a caregiver in Malaysia. She further claimed that her daughter sponsored the trip from Malaysia to Thailand and subsequently to Nigeria. According to the agency, the woman confessed that she spent about two weeks in Thailand before she was allegedly handed the drug consignment at the airport for transportation into Nigeria.
The arrest has once again highlighted growing concerns over the international drug trafficking networks using Nigeria as a transit route and destination market for illicit narcotics. Security analysts have repeatedly warned about the rising sophistication of global drug syndicates, many of whom now employ unsuspecting couriers, elderly individuals, and international travel routes to evade detection by law enforcement agencies.
In a related operation, the NDLEA also announced the interception of a massive shipment of opioids at the Lagos airport import shed. The agency said operatives recovered over 1.8 million tablets of Tapentadol 250mg valued at more than ₦2.1 billion after extensive surveillance operations involving the Nigeria Customs Service. The shipment reportedly arrived from India aboard an Emirates Cargo flight before being seized by authorities.
Beyond Lagos, the anti-drug agency revealed that several coordinated operations were simultaneously carried out across different parts of the country, leading to multiple arrests and seizures involving cocaine, tramadol, ecstasy pills, and cannabis. At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, suspects were reportedly intercepted attempting to traffic hard drugs through international routes connected to Europe and other African countries.
NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations and urged commands nationwide to intensify efforts aimed at combating drug trafficking and substance abuse. The agency also reiterated its commitment to continuing its “War Against Drug Abuse” campaign targeted at schools, communities, and vulnerable youths across Nigeria.
The latest arrest has since triggered widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians expressing shock over the age of the suspect and the massive quantity of drugs allegedly discovered in her possession. Others also praised the NDLEA for tightening surveillance at Nigerian airports amid increasing international trafficking attempts.
0 Comments