What appeared to be a routine departure screening at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos took a dramatic turn after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted a Nigerian-British grandmother allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected cocaine out of the country.
The suspect, identified as 67-year-old Mary Yetunde Barek, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on June 28, 2026, as she prepared to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.
According to the NDLEA, officers selected her luggage for further examination after an initial search raised suspicion. A more detailed inspection reportedly uncovered 31 carefully wrapped parcels concealed among food items.
The agency said the packages had been disguised to look like plantains in an apparent attempt to avoid detection. The substances inside were suspected to be cocaine, with a combined weight of approximately 13 kilograms.
Authorities added that the concealment method made the parcels difficult to identify during routine checks.
The NDLEA also stated that the suspect admitted the luggage and its contents belonged to her during questioning.
The agency said investigations are ongoing to determine how the suspected drugs were packaged and brought into the airport for export.
