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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a 30-year-old Brazilian woman, Ingrid Benevides, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with 30.09 kilograms of heroin concealed in factory-sealed coffee packs, valued at over N3 billion.
The suspect, a private security officer in Brazil, was arrested on Friday, January 23, 2026, after arriving in Abuja on Qatar Airways flight QR1431, following intelligence-led surveillance.
Heroin Hidden in Coffee Packs
A statement from NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi revealed that a search of Benevides’ two checked-in bags uncovered 21 factory-sealed packs of Brazilian coffee, which, upon inspection, contained white substances later confirmed as heroin.
“When the coffee bags were opened, rather than containing coffee, white substances were found inside. These later tested positive for heroin, weighing a total of 30.09 kilograms, making it the single largest heroin seizure at Abuja airport,” Babafemi stated.
During preliminary interrogation, Benevides claimed she smuggled the drugs into Nigeria under the pretext of visiting the country for a holiday.
Other Recent NDLEA Operations
1. Tapentadol and Tramaking Pills Seized in Lagos
On January 20, NDLEA operatives at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted two passengers, Adediran Adedoyin and Afatakpa Ochuko, en route to Istanbul, Turkey. They were found with 3,990 pills of Tapentadol 250mg and Tramaking 225mg, concealed in food items within their luggage.
2. Cannabis Seized at Lekki, Lagos
The agency’s Marine Command, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted a wooden boat loaded with 44 jumbo bags of Ghana Loud cannabis, weighing 1,848 kilograms, at Jakande Beach, Lekki, Lagos, in the early hours of Thursday, January 22.
“The shipment had barely arrived from Ghana when NDLEA officers stormed the location around 1 a.m., recovered the consignment, and seized the boat,” Babafemi said.
3. Explosives Interception in Kaduna
In Kaduna State, two suspects, Aminu Baba (20) and Abdulrasheed Abubakar (28), were arrested following the seizure of two bags containing 140 packets of explosives destined for Kano and Kaduna. The bags were recovered from a commercial bus along the Kaduna–Zaria highway, and the suspects were apprehended during follow-up operations.
4. Nationwide Arrests and Seizures
Other intelligence-led operations across Nigeria have led to the arrest of multiple suspects and the seizure of large quantities of illicit drugs, including Tramadol, Skunk, Pentazocine injections, cannabis seeds, and codeine syrup in states such as Borno, Niger, Ekiti, Edo, Kano, Oyo, Benue, Lagos, Delta, and Ondo.
NDLEA’s Commitment
According to Babafemi, these operations form part of sustained efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks, curb cross-border smuggling, and cut off the supply of illicit drugs to criminal and terrorist groups across the country.“
Nigeria continues to face significant challenges from drug trafficking both domestically and across its borders. However, the NDLEA has intensified intelligence-driven operations targeting drug importation, distribution networks, and local trafficking syndicates,” he added
