A 34-year-old South African woman has been arrested with 36.65 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, with investigations leading to the arrest of a Lagos-based car dealer suspected of involvement in the drug trafficking operation.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said the suspect, identified as Qhina Beauty, was arrested on October 7 while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa through Doha.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed the arrest in a statement on Sunday, October 25, detailing how operatives discovered the cocaine concealed in the woman’s luggage.

A search of her two travel bags reportedly uncovered 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg. The drugs were concealed with dried pepper, wrapped in cellophane tape and arranged in seven separate parcels, according to the agency.

Beauty reportedly told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 specifically to collect the consignment. She said another South African woman had promised to pay her R20,000 for delivering it.

The suspect also reportedly identified two other people she claimed were connected to the operation, including an individual based in the United States and a Lagos-based car dealer.

Investigations following Beauty’s arrest led to the apprehension of Uchenna Umunnakwe, a 46-year-old car dealer, on October 14 at Apple Junction, along Ago Palace Way in Lagos.

The NDLEA said operatives had conducted surveillance at his residence in Shasha before arresting him.

According to the agency, Umunnakwe admitted receiving Beauty at the airport and arranging accommodation for her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin. He reportedly later moved her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport ahead of her planned departure.

The agency said investigations into the alleged trafficking network were continuing.

In a separate operation at the Lagos airport, operatives arrested Anetor Gloria Ubong, a 62-year-old Nigerian-American realtor based in Richmond, Texas, with 9.45kg of a high-grade cannabis strain known as loud.

Ubong, who holds Nigerian and United States passports, was arrested on October 21 after arriving on a United Airlines flight from Houston.

A search of her two checked-in boxes reportedly uncovered 18 parcels of the substance concealed with gift-wrapping paper.

The agency said Ubong claimed her daughter and her daughter’s future brother-in-law had delivered the box to her home in the United States for onward transportation to Nigeria. She reportedly said the package was intended for her daughter’s fiancé, identified as Jibola.

The NDLEA said its operations during the week also resulted in arrests and drug seizures across Lagos, Delta, Oyo, Kano, Taraba, Niger, Bauchi, Ondo and Edo states.

In Lagos, operatives recovered diazepam pills, tramadol tablets, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies during an operation in the Eti Osa area on October 23.

The agency’s chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations and urged personnel across the country to sustain efforts against drug trafficking and substance abuse.