Lagos - A South African woman who tried to smuggle 1.2kg of cocaine from Lagos to Joburg was arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja at the weekend by anti-narcotics officials.
The 34-year-old apprentice chef was picked up by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the process of boarding a Joburg-bound plane.
According to a statement released by the NDLEA on Saturday, the woman allegedly concealed the substance packed in two parcels in her bra.
The NDLEA commander at the airport, Ahmadu Garba, said the drug was detected by a female operative of the agency during the screening of passengers.
“The suspect, who gave her name as Lekganyane Lerato, was intercepted during routine screening of passengers on the South African airline. The drug was neatly concealed but certainly not good enough to escape our notice. She is currently under investigation and will be charged in court very soon,” he said.
During preliminary investigations, the suspect said she was lured into drug trafficking by friends.
“I never imagined that the drug would be detected because it was carefully concealed inside my bra.
“My travel expenses were handled by the sponsor, who promised to pay me $3 000 (R44 700) when I got to Johannesburg, but all my dreams have been dashed following my arrest,” Lerato said.
NDLEA chairman Colonel Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah expressed optimism that the chances of being caught with drugs in Nigeria were increasing.
According to him, drug traffickers were being apprehended daily.
“Drug trafficking organisations may try their best, but they will end up in prison custody,” he warned.
Independent Foreign Service