Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 24-year-old Thai national, Ms Pattaphi Wimonnat, for attempting to smuggle 46.60 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis, into Nigeria through Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement released on Sunday, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to combating drug trafficking.
“An attempt by a Thai woman, Pattaphi Wimonnat, to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud into Nigeria through Murtala Muhammed International Airport was thwarted by our operatives,” Babafemi stated.
“She was apprehended during the inward clearance of passengers on a Qatar Airways flight from Thailand via Doha on February 20, 2025.”
According to Babafemi, the suspect confessed to being recruited by a drug cartel and was promised $3,000 for successfully delivering the illicit cargo.
In a separate operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers intercepted 68 parcels of Ghanaian Loud, weighing 42.2 kilograms, concealed within the walls of crated cartons intended for shipment to London.
Authorities arrested three suspects, including a freight agent and two dispatch riders, before tracing and detaining the alleged mastermind, Samuel Bitris, at his residence in Exodus Estate, Ajah, Lagos.
Meanwhile, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, a joint operation between the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies uncovered a shipment of 49,000 tramadol pills hidden inside a 40ft container at the Port Harcourt Port Complex on February 20.
In Nasarawa State, operatives arrested two suspects, Bello Adamu, 40, and Pius Azuka, 42, at Kokona/Keffi with 517 kilograms of skunk on February 22. Similarly, in Niger State, two other suspects, Usman Ruwa, 43, and Yunusa Haruna, 45, were arrested along Sabon Asibiti Road in Kontagora with 62.7 kilograms of skunk found in a Toyota Corolla.
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the officers for their vigilance and dedication in curbing drug trafficking.
“Our balanced approach to both drug supply reduction and demand reduction efforts continues to yield results,” Marwa said. “I commend our officers for their operational successes and their unwavering commitment to keeping Nigeria drug-free.”
The NDLEA reiterated its commitment to intensifying its fight against drug-related crimes and bringing traffickers to justice.
