South African woman, US-based grandma arrested with large cocaine, loud shipments

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 34-year-old South African woman, Qhina Beauty, with 36.65 kilograms of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, and a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother, Anetor Gloria Ubong, with 9.45kg of high-grade cannabis, loud, imported from the United States.

A statement from Femi Babafemi, spokesperson of the anti-drug agency, says Qhina was arrested at the departure hall of the Lagos airport on October 7 while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha. A search of her two travelling bags led to the recovery of 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg, laced with dried pepper, wrapped in cello tape and packed into seven separate parcels.

During her interview, Qhina told operatives she arrived in Nigeria on 30th September specifically to pick up the consignment. She said she was recruited by another South African lady, who promised her R20,000 on successful delivery. She claimed she was introduced to two other members of the syndicate: one based in the United States and the other a Lagos-based car dealer.

Investigations later led to the arrest, on 14th October, of the 46-year-old car dealer Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, who was intercepted at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, after days of surveillance at his Shasha residence. He admitted receiving Qhina at the airport, lodging her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin, and later moving her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport, ahead of her departure.

In another interdiction operation at the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers on Wednesday, 21st October, arrested a 62-year-old grandma Anetor Gloria Ubong, a realtor based in Richmond, Texas, who holds both Nigerian and US passports. Authorities arrested her after she arrived on a United Airlines flight from Houston. A search of her two checked-in boxes uncovered 18 parcels of loud, a synthetic cannabis weighing 9.45kg, concealed with gift wrapping paper in a box. She claimed her daughter and the daughter's future brother-in-law delivered the box to her home in the US for onward delivery in Nigeria to her daughter's fiancé, Jibola.