A 43-year-old female make-up artist, Mary Adekoya, who claimed to be travelling to India for a fibroid surgery has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos after 2.20 kilograms of cocaine were discovered in her bag.

Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect was arrested on Monday based on credible intelligence.

According to the statement, under surveillance, Adekoya was allowed to check in her luggage and arrested at the point of boarding Qatar Airways flight to India via Doha.

“When her luggage was searched, two large parcels of cocaine weighing 2.20kg were found concealed in the walls of the suitcase she was carrying.

“In her statement, she claimed she embarked on the trip for financial benefits but under the pretext of going to India for surgery to remove fibroid from her stomach.

“Further investigation revealed the suspect was recruited and funded by a drug baron currently at large, Akeem Ayinde Adekanbi, who owns Rockford Hotel located in Sango area of Ogun state while he lives at Igbe Laara in Igbogbo area of Ikorodu, Lagos state,” the statement reads.

Babafemi also said the agency intercepted a shipment of sewn female dresses containing 1.3kg Loud and a strong strain of cannabis, going to Bahrain.

At a courier firm, he said NDLEA officials uncovered 850grams of cocaine concealed in cloth hangers heading to Australia.

He added: “In Bauchi state, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence arrested the duo of Ibrahim Galadima, 37, and Ibrahim Muhammed, 28, along Bauchi-Darazo road. A total of One million and thirteen thousand (1,013,000) pills of opioids namely: tramadol, diazepam and exol-5 were recovered from them.