A 24-year-old Thai national, Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, has been apprehended at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, for attempting to smuggle 46.60 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, into Nigeria. Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted the illicit cargo concealed in her luggage, thwarting the smuggling attempt.
Arrest at Lagos Airport
According to Femi Babafemi, spokesperson for the NDLEA, the arrest took place on Thursday, February 20, 2025, during passenger clearance for a Qatar Airways flight arriving from Thailand via Doha.
The suspect admitted to being a courier hired by a drug syndicate, which promised her a $3,000 payment upon successfully delivering the narcotics in Nigeria.
Another Drug Trafficking Attempt Foiled
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport disrupted an attempt to export 42.2 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud to London, UK. The drugs, concealed within the walls of crated cartons, were intercepted at the export shed on Friday, February 21.
Initial arrests included a freight agent and two dispatch riders. However, further investigations led to the swift apprehension of the alleged mastermind, Samuel Bitris, at his residence in Exodus Estate, Ajah, Lagos.
