A 26-year-old nursing student at Noida International University, India, has been detained by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for allegedly preparing to smuggle 76 wraps of cocaine.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest in Abuja, explaining how the operation unfolded. According to Mr. Babafemi, the suspect was staying at Royal Park Hotel, Sabon Gari, Kano, awaiting the cocaine consignment she was meant to ingest before boarding a Qatar Airways flight to India.
“Her lid was blown open when NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja highway in Kogi, on Thursday, January 16, intercepted a 31-year-old male accomplice in a commuter bus coming from Lagos en route to Kano. Inside his black polythene bag was an audio speaker, which was used to conceal 76 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.340 kilograms,” Mr. Babafemi stated.
The agency’s swift follow-up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the nursing student on Thursday evening.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly revealed that she had been recruited by a drug cartel in India. The cartel had sponsored her trip to Nigeria under the pretense of celebrating the holidays. To avoid suspicion from her parents, she did not visit her home state, Imo. Instead, she stayed in a hotel in Enugu for two weeks before traveling to Abuja and then Kano, where the drug consignment was to be delivered.
The student admitted that her task was to swallow the cocaine wraps and return to India, where she was promised $5,000 (approximately ₦9 million) upon successful delivery.
This case highlights the lengths to which drug cartels go to exploit unsuspecting individuals. The NDLEA continues its efforts to combat drug trafficking and protect Nigerian citizens from the grip of these criminal networks.
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