Abuja, Jan, 25, 2026 – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Brazilian woman, Ms. Ingrid Rosa Benevides, while attempting to smuggle over ₦3 billion worth of heroine in the country.
Femi Babafenmi, the NDLEA Spokesman, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The statement said the suspect, a 30-year-old private security officer, was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja shortly after arriving in Nigeria via Qatar Airways flight QR1431.
It said NDLEA operatives, who were acting on intelligence information, conducted a search of her checked-in luggage where they discovered 21 factory-sealed packets of Brazilian coffee concealed in two suitcases and further examination revealed that the coffee packs contained 30.09 kilogrammes of white substances confirmed to be heroin.
The NDLEA described the seizure as the largest single heroin interception ever recorded at the Abuja airport.
Its operatives also intercepted two outbound passengers, Adediran Adedoyin and Afatakpa Ochuko, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while travelling to Istanbul, Turkey, aboard a Turkish Airlines flight.
A search of their luggage uncovered 3,990 pills of tapentadol and tramaking concealed inside food items.
Officers of the NDLEA Marine Command in Lagos also intercepted a wooden boat at Jakande Beach, Lekki, Lagos, carrying 1,848 kilogrammes of Ghana Loud cannabis packaged in 44 jumbo bags.
The drugs were reportedly smuggled from Ghana before operatives stormed the area in the early hours and seized both the boat and the consignment.
The agency also arrested two suspects, Aminu Ali Baba (20) and Abdulrasheed Abubakar (28), in connection with 140 packets of explosives concealed in a commercial bus along the Kaduna–Zaria highway.
The explosives were allegedly destined for Kano and Kaduna states.
The NDLEA operatives in Ekiti State have arrested a 72-year-old suspect, Afolalu Joseph, with Abu Bunmi, while recovering 62 kilogrammes of skunk cannabis from their residences.
A joint operation of the NDLEA operatives In Edo State, with soldiers of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade led to the arrest of a village head, Chief James Abamu, and another suspect, with 681 kilogrammes of skunk and 181 kilogrammes of cannabis seeds recovered.
In Borno State, NDLEA operatives intercepted 179,590 pills of tramadol and diazepam concealed in sacks of charcoal and animal feed during transit from Potiskum, Yobe State, to Maiduguri.
A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the alleged owner, Rabiu Imam (32).
In Kwara and Niger states, a female suspect, Mrs. Eze Chioma, was arrested in Mokwa, Niger State, after 78,500 tramadol pills were intercepted in Bode Saadu, Kwara State.
Investigations revealed her husband is currently remanded in prison for a similar offence.
