Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 63-year-old Chinese grandmother at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 31 kilograms of synthetic cannabis, popularly known as Canadian Loud, into Nigeria.
The suspect, identified as Ting Hung Kiong, a Chinese national naturalised in Malaysia, was arrested on Sunday, May 17, 2026, upon her arrival in Nigeria from Thailand via Dubai aboard an Emirates Airline flight.
According to the NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday, the suspect was intercepted by operatives attached to the Terminal 2 Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
Babafemi disclosed that investigations revealed the suspect travelled from Malaysia to Thailand before proceeding to Nigeria through the United Arab Emirates with two large travel boxes containing the illicit drug consignment.
The spokesman said, “Investigation revealed that the suspect travelled from Malaysia to Thailand and subsequently to Nigeria via the UAE with two large travel boxes containing the synthetic cannabis consignment weighing 31.0 kilograms.”
He added that during interrogation, the suspect claimed she was recruited to courier the drugs after spending two weeks in Thailand.
“During an interview, the 63-year-old suspect who claims she works as a caregiver in Malaysia stated that her daughter sponsored her trip from Malaysia to Thailand and subsequently to Nigeria,” Babafemi said.
“She further disclosed that she spent two weeks in Thailand before she was handed the illicit consignment at the Thailand airport to deliver in Nigeria,” he added.
In another major breakthrough, the NDLEA said its operatives recovered a huge consignment of opioids at the import shed of the Lagos airport after close surveillance.
Babafemi stated that the shipment, which arrived from India aboard an Emirates Cargo flight, contained 1,825,710 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg valued at over N2.1 billion.
“Following close monitoring of the consignment by NDLEA operatives since its arrival from India aboard an Emirates Cargo flight, the 29 large cartons containing One Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ten tablets of Tapentadol 250mg worth Two Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Two Thousand Naira were eventually handed over to the NDLEA by the Customs Service on Friday 22nd May 2026,” Babafemi said.
The anti-narcotics agency also recorded another interception at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where a suspect identified as Onyeka Valentine Emeka was arrested during inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Sierra Leone via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Babafemi disclosed that the suspect later excreted 185.36 grams of cocaine after being placed under observation.
“At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu on Wednesday 20th May, NDLEA operatives intercepted a suspect, Onyeka Valentine Emeka, during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight from Sierra Leone via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,” he stated.
“When placed under observation, the suspect excreted a total of 185.36 grams of cocaine,” Babafemi added.
Similarly, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, NDLEA operatives arrested a 29-year-old building engineer, Babatunde Prosper Afekhide, while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Milan, Italy.
According to Babafemi, a search of the suspect’s luggage uncovered thousands of opioid pills carefully concealed to evade security checks.
“At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, a 29-year-old building engineer, Babatunde Prosper Afekhide, was arrested while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Abuja via Addis Ababa to Milan Malpensa, Italy,” he said.
“A search conducted on his luggage led to the recovery of 10,280 pills of Tramaking 225mg, Tramadol 200mg and Tapentadol 250mg concealed using foil paper and hidden inside a carton in a suitcase obviously to evade detection,” Babafemi stated.
The NDLEA spokesman further revealed that operatives at a courier company in Lagos intercepted various drug consignments concealed in unusual items and meant for shipment to Europe and the United States.
“In another operation at a courier company in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 1,174 pills of MDMA concealed in bicycle luggage carrier heading to Netherlands; 66 pills of tramadol 225mg hidden in soap container going to the United States and 18 tablets of tramadol 225mg concealed in body cream container heading to the United Kingdom,” Babafemi said.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided Igwe community in Owan East Local Government Area where 59 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 489kg and cannabis seeds weighing 9kg were recovered.
Babafemi also disclosed that a suspect, Isah Sani, 30, was arrested with 196,000 pills of exol-5 along the Zaria-Kano road in Kano State.
“At Seme border, Badagry area of Lagos, NDLEA officers recovered 59kg skunk from a warehouse in Mowo, Badagry,” he added.
The agency also recorded another major seizure in Ekiti State where operatives raided a warehouse in Ikole-Ekiti and recovered 1,116 kilograms of skunk.
“Another operational success was recorded in Ekiti State where NDLEA operatives on Saturday 23rd May raided a warehouse located at N/56, Ikoyi community, Ikole-Ekiti and recovered 1,116 kilograms of skunk, while 54-year-old suspect, Ogundana Adebayo Julius, was arrested in connection with the seizure,” Babafemi said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), commended officers and men of the MMIA, NAIA, AIIA, Edo, Ekiti, Seme and Kano Commands as well as the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation for the arrests and seizures.
Marwa, according to Babafemi, praised the officers for balancing aggressive drug supply reduction operations with sustained drug demand reduction campaigns.
“He noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitisation activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to continue to raise the operational bar,” Babafemi stated.
NDLEA Intercepts 31kg Canadian Loud From 63-Year-Old Chinese Woman In Lagos
