Indian Woman Caught With 72 Parcels of Heroin as NDLEA Cracks Down in Kano

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 42-year-old Indian woman, Ms. Neetu Neetu, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano for attempting to smuggle 72 parcels of heroin concealed in wafer wraps and disguised as chocolates.

The illicit consignment, weighing a total of 11 kilograms, was discovered in her luggage during a thorough search conducted based on credible intelligence.

According to a statement released on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Neetu was apprehended on Friday, March 14, 2025, during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1431, which arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, with stopovers in Vietnam and Doha.

“The arrest of Neetu signifies a growing attempt by drug trafficking organisations to hire white ladies and foreign nationals to move illicit drugs through the Nigerian borders, a bid that vigilant NDLEA operatives have consistently frustrated with the aid of modern technological tools and proactive intelligence, says Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), in his immediate reaction to Neetu’s arrest, “ he added.

Babafemi further stated that in a separate operation in Kano, NDLEA officers arrested a 45-year-old suspect, Michael Ogundele, on March 20. He was found in possession of a 50-liter steel gas cylinder at Gadar Tamburawa, along the Zaria-Kano Road.

“Based on credible intelligence, welding tools were later used to cut the giant cylinder after which 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in it were extracted,” he added.

In another operation in Kano, Babafemi reported that 40-year-old Sunday Ogar was arrested with 27 kilograms of skunk.

He said, “Sunday Ogar, 40, was nabbed at Gunduwawa area of Kano on Wednesday 19th March with 27kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, a female suspect Khadijah Abdullahi, 40, was arrested with 424 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Lungun Bulala Yalwa area of the state on Tuesday, March 18.”

In Lagos, Babafemi stated that Olumuyiwa Kolawole and Samod Adisa were arrested in Mushin with 67.5 kilograms of skunk.

“100.8kg of the same psychoactive substance was recovered from the store of two fleeing suspects in Anifowoshe area of Mushin while Isah Idris was arrested in Apapa with 4.5kg skunk; 600grams of tramadol 225mg and 30 litres of codeine syrup on Tuesday, March 18.

“Another suspect, Yahaya Mohamed, was arrested the same day in the Ikotun area of the state with different quantities of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine,” he added.