Caregiver Heading To UK Arrested With Cocaine Concealed In Fake Plantain
A 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman working as a caregiver in the United Kingdom has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The suspect, identified as Mary Yetunde Barek, was apprehended at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on Sunday, June 28, 2026, while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, officers intercepted the suspect and conducted a detailed search of her luggage.
The search uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine cleverly packaged to resemble hands of plantain and hidden among food items. The seized narcotics weighed a total of 13 kilograms.
“A thorough search of her bags resulted in the discovery of 31 big wraps of cocaine which were packaged to appear like plantain hands, weighing a total of 13 kilograms,” the statement said.
The anti-narcotics agency disclosed that Barek admitted ownership of the illicit drugs during interrogation.
“In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits,” the NDLEA stated.
The arrest is the latest in the agency’s ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking networks using Nigeria’s airports and other border points to move illicit substances abroad.
The NDLEA has continued to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations aimed at disrupting drug trafficking and bringing offenders to justice.
Follow us for more breaking news and updates.
Author
