NDLEA Busts Woman at Abuja Airport with ₦3B Worth of Heroin

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a Brazilian woman, named Ingrid Benevides, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. She was allegedly trying to trade heroin worth ₦3 billion.

According to Lagos Television, this happened during a normal inward clearance operation on Tuesday. She had sparked suspicions owing to her erratic behavior and inconsistent travel documentation, when she arrived on an international aircraft.

The NDLEA agents apprehended the suspect, whose identity is being withheld pending additional investigation.

Discovery of the Drugs

Lagos Television reported that the agents discovered 21 sealed coffee packs in her luggage. The packs contained 30.09 kilograms of heroin, making it the largest single heroin seizure at Abuja airport.

Benevides told investigators she brought the drugs into Nigeria under the pretense of a holiday.

Early tests show the heroin is very pure, similar to the quality usually involved in international hard drug trafficking.

An NDLEA source claims that although the official gross weight of the drugs has not yet been revealed. However, authorities estimate the seized heroin could be worth roughly ₦3 billion if sold on the street.

Next Steps

The Brazilian suspect is still being held by the NDLEA and will be questioned further in detention. Given the cross-border nature of the alleged offence, officials say plans are being made to enlist international law enforcement partners.

In accordance with Nigeria’s strict drug trafficking laws, formal charges will be prepared for prosecution, the NDLEA also said