63-Year-Old Chinese Grandma Arrested for Smuggling 31kg of Cannabis into Nigeria

A 63-year-old Chinese grandma, Ting Hung Kiong, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for attempting to smuggle 31kg of cannabis into Nigeria. The suspect was caught with the illicit substance upon her arrival from Thailand via Dubai, UAE, aboard an Emirates Airline flight. She didn't travel directly to Nigeria - she came from Thailand via Dubai.

The NDLEA said the female Chinese national, who naturalised in Malaysia, was arrested on Sunday, 17th May 2026, at the Terminal 2 Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. They're still investigating the case. It's clear that the suspect travelled from Malaysia to Thailand and subsequently to Nigeria via the UAE with two large travel boxes containing the synthetic cannabis consignment.

During an interview, the 63-year-old suspect, who claims she works as a care-giver in Malaysia, stated that her daughter sponsored her trip from Malaysia to Thailand and subsequently to Nigeria. She further disclosed that she spent two weeks in Thailand before she was handed the illicit consignment at the Thailand airport to deliver in Nigeria. The suspect didn't know what she was carrying - she was just given the consignment to deliver.

Meanwhile, the agency said another major shipment of illicit drug consignment has been recovered at the import shed of the Lagos airport. They've been monitoring the consignment closely since its arrival from India aboard an Emirates Cargo flight. The consignment was eventually handed over to the NDLEA by the Customs Service on Friday, 22nd May 2026. It contained 29 large cartons with one million, eight hundred and twenty-five thousand, seven hundred and ten tablets of Tapentadol 250mg.

The NDLEA also reported other successful interdiction operations, including the arrest of a suspect, Onyeka Valentine Emeka, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on Wednesday, 20th May. He excreted a total of 185.36 grams of cocaine. The agency won't disclose how they caught him. At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, a 29-year-old building engineer, Babatunde Prosper Afekhide, was arrested by NDLEA operatives while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Abuja via Addis Ababa to Milan Malpensa, Italy.

A search conducted on his luggage led to the recovery of 10,280 pills of Tramaking 225mg; Tramadol 200mg and Tapentadol 250mg. The opioids were concealed using foil paper and hidden inside a carton, in a suitcase, obviously to evade detection. The suspect didn't think he'd get caught. In yet another operation at a courier company in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 1,174 pills of MDMA (Ecstasy) concealed in bicycle luggage heading to Netherlands. They also found 66 pills of tramadol 225mg hidden in a soap container going to the United States and 18 tablets of tramadol 225mg concealed in body cream container heading to the United Kingdom.

The NDLEA's war against drug abuse is a testament to the agency's commitment to reducing the supply of illicit substances in Nigeria. The agency's efforts have been yielding positive results, with several arrests and seizures made in recent weeks. These operations demonstrate the NDLEA's resolve to curb the menace of drug trafficking and abuse in the country. They're not giving up - they'll keep fighting.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men of MMIA, NAIA, AIIA, Edo, Ekiti, Seme, and Kano Commands as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures. He noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities. He charged them and their compatriots across the country to continue to raise the operational bar. They can't afford to slow down.

The NDLEA's efforts to combat drug trafficking and abuse are crucial to the well-being and safety of Nigerians. The agency's operations have been instrumental in reducing the supply of illicit substances. Its sensitization activities have helped to educate the public about the dangers of drug abuse. As the NDLEA continues its war against drug abuse, it's essential for Nigerians to support the agency's efforts. They should report any suspicious activities to the authorities.

It's a collective effort - everyone has a role to play.