Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted a 30-year-old Brazilian woman, Ingrid Benevides, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with 30.09 kilograms of heroin concealed in factory-sealed coffee packs valued at over N3bn.
The suspect, a private security officer in Brazil, was arrested on Friday, January 23, 2026, upon her arrival in Abuja aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1431, following intelligence-led surveillance.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said a search of her two checked-in bags revealed 21 factory-sealed packs of Brazilian coffee, which, upon inspection, were found to contain white substances that later tested positive for heroin.
Babafemi said that during preliminary interrogation, Benevides claimed she brought the illicit drugs into Nigeria under the guise of visiting the country for holidays.
When the coffee bags were opened, rather than containing the beverage, white substances were found inside. These later tested positive for heroin, weighing a total of 30.09 kilograms, making it the single largest heroin seizure at the Abuja airport,” the statement read.
“In her preliminary interview, the suspect claimed she brought the heroin consignment under the guise of coming to Nigeria for holidays.”
In a related development, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on January 20 intercepted two passengers, Adediran Adedoyin and Afatakpa Ochuko, en route to Istanbul, Turkey.
