“Thailand Returnee Caught with N3.1 Billion Worth of Heroin at Lagos Airport”
In a major bust, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) apprehended Oguejiofor Nnaemeka Simonpeter, a 29-year-old Nigeria native and recent returnee from Thailand, for attempting to smuggle 13.30 kilograms of heroin worth over N3.1 billion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. The arrest, which took place on October 7th, 2024, marks another significant victory in the NDLEA’s ongoing crackdown on transnational drug trafficking networks.
The heroin was expertly concealed within six backpacks, each packed into two large suitcases. Simonpeter, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Anambra State, had traveled from Thailand through Doha, Qatar, before arriving in Lagos, hoping to avoid detection by rerouting his luggage. However, NDLEA operatives, acting on intelligence, intercepted the suspect and uncovered the illicit contents.
Simonpeter confessed that he was hired for a fee of $7,000 to deliver two parcels in Lagos and four more in Accra, Ghana. His failed attempt adds to the increasing list of drug-related arrests at Nigerian borders, highlighting the persistent threats posed by international drug cartels.
The NDLEA also revealed a series of other successful operations, including the interception of 32.6 million tramadol pills and over 1.4 million bottles of codeine-based syrup, valued at more than N22.7 billion, from ports in Lagos and Port Harcourt. These seizures underscore the agency’s determination to dismantle drug supply chains across the country.
As drug-related crimes continue to threaten the nation’s youth, NDLEA’s dual approach of enforcement and community-based education under the “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA) campaign is making steady strides. From schools to places of worship, the message remains clear: Nigeria’s fight against drug abuse is a battle for the future, and it’s one the NDLEA is committed to winning.
