South African woman caught with cocaine in Nigerian airport

• Says I was promised $3000

By OKOSUN DENNIS

AN attempt by a South African lady to smuggle 1.210kg of white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine to South Africa had been foiled by anti-narcotics officers in Lagos.
The suspect, Lekganyane Lerato, a 34-year-old apprentice chef, had two parcels of cocaine carefully concealed inside her brassiere on her way to Johannesburg when she was arrested.

The drug was said to have been detected by a female operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos during screening.

NDLEA Commander at the airport, Ahmadu Garba, said: “The suspect was intercepted during routine screening of passengers on South African airline. The drug was neatly concealed but certainly not good enough to escape our notice.”

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On interrogation the suspect said that she was lured into drug trafficking by friends. “I am an apprentice chef in Johannesburg. A friend convinced me into drug trafficking. I never imagined that the drug will be detected because it was carefully concealed inside my brassiere.

“A female officer requested to feel my boobs and that was how the cocaine was detected. My travel expenses was handled by the sponsor who promised to pay me 3,000 dollars when I get to Johannesburg, but all my dreams had been dashed following my arrest,” Lerato lamented.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd) expressed optimism that the chances of being caught with drugs were getting higher in the country.

“Daily arrest of drug traffickers has validated our superiority. Drug trafficking organisations may try their best but they will end up in prison custody” Abdallah stated.