By Onaolapo Olalekan Oduola
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother, Anetor Gloria Ubong, following the discovery of 9.45 kilogrammes of high-grade synthetic cannabis, popularly known as Loud, allegedly imported from the United States.
The arrest was part of a series of nationwide anti-drug operations in which NDLEA operatives reportedly recovered substantial quantities of illicit substances across Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta states.
According to details of the operation, Ubong, a realtor based in Richmond, Texas, who holds both Nigerian and American passports, was arrested on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, shortly after arriving at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard a United Airlines flight from Houston, United States.
A search of her two checked-in luggage boxes reportedly led to the discovery of 18 parcels of Loud weighing 9.45kg, concealed beneath gift-wrapping paper inside one of the boxes.
During preliminary questioning, the 62-year-old grandmother allegedly claimed that the package had been delivered to her residence in the United States by her daughter and the daughter's prospective brother-in-law for onward delivery in Nigeria to her daughter's fiancé, identified as Jibola.
The NDLEA described the seizure as part of its intensified efforts to dismantle international drug trafficking networks operating through Nigeria's airports and other entry points.
NDLEA Intercepts 36.65kg of Cocaine at Lagos Airport
In a separate airport operation, NDLEA officers reportedly arrested another suspect, identified as Qhina, at the departure hall of the Lagos airport on October 7, 2026, while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa through Doha.
A search of the suspect's two travelling bags allegedly uncovered 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg.
The cocaine, according to the agency, had been mixed with dried pepper, wrapped in cello tape and carefully concealed in seven separate parcels.
The latest interceptions underscore the NDLEA's continued efforts to combat drug trafficking and prevent the movement of dangerous substances through Nigeria's international airports.
Further details regarding the nationwide operations and possible prosecutions are expected from the agency.
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