NDLEA nabs Indian woman ‘smuggling’ 72 parcels of heroin disguised as chocolate at Kano airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a 42-year-old Indian national,  Neetu Neetu, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle 72 parcels of heroin disguised as chocolate.

According to a statement released on Sunday by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the illicit substance, weighing 11kg, was concealed inside wafer wrappers and was discovered during a search of Neetu’s luggage at the airport’s arrival hall.

The arrest took place on March 14, 2025, during the inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1431, which arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, via Vietnam and Doha. The operation was conducted following intelligence reports.

Speaking on the development, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), expressed concern over drug cartels’ increasing reliance on foreign nationals, including white women, to smuggle illicit drugs through Nigeria’s borders.

“This growing tactic by drug trafficking organisations has consistently been frustrated by our vigilant officers with the aid of modern technological tools and proactive intelligence,” Marwa stated.

In a separate operation in Kano, NDLEA operatives arrested 45-year-old Michael Ogundele on Thursday at Gadar Tamburawa, along the Zaria-Kano road, while he was transporting a 50-litre steel gas cylinder. Upon inspection, officers discovered 50,000 tramadol 225mg pills concealed inside the cylinder.

Elsewhere in Kano, officers detained Sunday Ogar, 40, in Gunduwawa on Wednesday with 27kg of skunk, a potent cannabis strain. Additionally, Khadijah Abdullahi, also 40, was arrested at Lungun Bulala Yalwa on Tuesday with 424 bottles of codeine-based syrup.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted Olumuyiwa Kolawole and Samod Adisa in Mushin with 67.5kg of skunk. Another 100.8kg of the same substance was recovered from a store belonging to two suspects who fled in Anifowoshe, Mushin.

Further arrests included Isah Idris in Apapa, who was caught with 4.5kg of skunk, 600 grams of tramadol 225mg, and 30 litres of codeine syrup. Additionally, Yahaya Mohamed was detained in Ikotun on Tuesday with various quantities of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.