Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 38-year-old South African woman, identified as Ms. Will Jessica Ann, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, over the importation of 5.75 kilograms of heroin.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect concealed 14 large blocks of heroin in her luggage traveling with her three-year-old son in an attempt to avoid suspicion and evade thorough security screening.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement issued on Sunday, saying the suspect was apprehended on July 6 during the inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways Flight QR1433 from Doha to Abuja.
Babafemi said the suspect initially denied travelling with any checked luggage. However, NDLEA operatives reportedly matched the baggage tags on two suitcases containing the illicit drugs with the claim tags attached to her passport, prompting her to admit ownership of the bags.
According to the agency, the suspect told investigators that she travelled from Cambodia through Doha to Abuja.
The NDLEA further alleged that intelligence gathered during the investigation indicates that the suspect and her husband, identified as Jan Coenraad De Jager, are members of a transnational drug trafficking network operating between Cambodia and South Africa.
The agency said investigations into the case are ongoing.