By The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 24-year-old Thai woman, Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, for attempting to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
The drugs, weighing 46.60 kilograms, were found hidden inside her luggage during passenger clearance on a Qatar Airways flight from Thailand via Doha on February 20, 2025.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi confirmed the arrest, stating that the suspect admitted she was hired as a drug courier and was promised $3,000 for the delivery.
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers intercepted another drug shipment on February 21, seizing 68 parcels of Ghanaian Loud, weighing 42.2 kilograms, concealed in crated cartons bound for London, UK.
Authorities initially arrested a freight agent and two dispatch riders connected to the case before tracking down the mastermind, Samuel Bitris, at his residence in Exodus Estate, Ajah, Lagos.
The NDLEA has vowed to intensify efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within and outside Nigeria.
