Nigerian authorities have arrested a 67-year-old British-Nigerian grandmother, identified as Mary Yetunde Barek, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The arrest occurred on June 29 as Barek was attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London Heathrow. Officials from Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) discovered approximately 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed within plantain peels in her luggage.
Barek, a care worker from Ondo state who resides in the UK, reportedly admitted to owning the recovered narcotics. The NDLEA stated that the drugs were hidden inside what appeared to be real plantains, packed among other food items. Footage released by the agency showed investigators cutting open the "plantains" to reveal packaged powder.
The NDLEA has estimated the street value of the seized cocaine to be over £1 million. This incident comes amidst other drug smuggling attempts involving individuals traveling to the UK. In a separate case, a British mother and her 19-year-old daughter were arrested at a Spanish airport attempting to return to the UK with 42 kilograms of cocaine. Local reports indicated the cocaine was found in tablet form within 23 packets in their suitcases, which were intended for a flight to Birmingham.
These recent arrests follow a pattern of drug seizures involving travelers. In May, Spanish police apprehended a British couple, aged 33 and 34, at the same Spanish airport after discovering 33 kilograms of marijuana in their luggage. The couple claimed to be tourists returning from Thailand, but their nervous demeanor reportedly led officers to single them out. The pair were subsequently remanded in custody.