Thai Woman Nabbed at Lagos Airport with Boxes of Illicit Drugs in Shocking Bust

In a significant operation, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) apprehended a 24-year-old Thai national, Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. She was found attempting to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent synthetic cannabis strain, weighing 46.60 kilograms, into Nigeria.

The arrest occurred on Thursday, February 20, 2025, during the inward clearance of passengers from a Qatar Airways flight originating from Thailand via Doha. Upon inspection, NDLEA operatives discovered the illicit substances concealed within her luggage. Ms. Wimonnat confessed to being recruited as a drug courier, with the promise of a $3,000 payment upon successful delivery in Nigeria.

In a related development, NDLEA officers intercepted an attempt to export 68 parcels of Ghanaian Loud, weighing 42.2 kilograms, to London. The drugs were ingeniously hidden within the walls of crated cartons at the airport’s export shed. Initial arrests included a freight agent and two dispatch riders. Subsequent investigations led to the capture of the operation’s mastermind, Samuel Bitris, at his residence in Exodus Estate, Ajah, Lagos.

Further emphasizing the agency’s commitment to combating drug trafficking, NDLEA operatives at the Port Harcourt Port Complex in Onne, Rivers State, seized 49 cartons containing 49,000 pills of Tamol, a brand of Tramadol 225mg. This interception occurred during a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies on February 20, 2025.

In Nasarawa State, on February 22, operatives arrested two individuals, Bello Adamu (40) and Pius Azuka (42), in the Kokona/Keffi area with 517 kilograms of skunk. Additionally, in Niger State, two suspects, Usman Ruwa (43) and Yunusa Haruna (45), were apprehended on February 20 while transporting 62.7 kilograms of skunk in a Toyota Corolla along Sabon Asibiti Road, Kontagora.

Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA continues its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaigns nationwide. Recent outreach efforts have targeted educational institutions, religious centers, workplaces, and communities. Notable engagements include lectures at Maku Grammar School in Oyo State, Comprehensive Secondary School in Imo State, Jama’atu Islamiyya Secondary School in Kogi State, and Owerri-Aba Primary School in Imo State.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, lauded the dedication and operational successes of the agency’s officers across various commands. He emphasized the importance of a balanced approach, combining efforts in both drug supply reduction and demand reduction, to effectively combat the menace of drug trafficking and abuse in the country.