A 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, identified as Mary Yetunde Barek (also reported as Mary Barek), is arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos as she attempts to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London. Multiple outlets report that NDLEA officers intercept her at the departure hall/Terminal 2 on June 28 and search her luggage. Officials say around 13 kilograms of cocaine are found concealed in packaging designed to resemble plantain peels or plantain “hands,” with reports describing 31 wraps. NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi is quoted as saying the drugs are recovered during a thorough search and that the suspect admits ownership of the cocaine.
One outlet adds that the recovered cocaine has an estimated street value of more than £1 million. Other reporting notes NDLEA also conducts related drug seizures and arrests, including tramadol consignments and a separate case involving an alleged syndicate leader in Anambra State and additional suspects across several Nigerian states. However, the core incident across sources concerns Barek’s attempted cocaine smuggling out of Lagos concealed in fake plantain packaging.
