A 29-year-old Nigerian make-up artist was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Saturday while attempting to board a flight to India under the guise of seeking medical treatment. Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered 2.2 kilograms of cocaine concealed within her luggage during routine outbound clearance checks.
The suspect, whose identity is being withheld pending further investigation, reportedly presented medical travel documents and claimed she was en route to India for a scheduled procedure. However, inconsistencies in her travel history and suspicious luggage content prompted a thorough search, revealing carefully packed narcotics hidden in personal effects.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the suspect may be part of a wider network involved in international drug trafficking. NDLEA officials have confirmed that the substance has undergone laboratory testing and has been positively identified as cocaine.
"This arrest is yet another testament to our zero-tolerance policy on drug trafficking and our resolve to dismantle criminal networks exploiting legitimate travel for illicit gains," stated NDLEA spokesperson.