A 38-year-old South African woman has been arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja for allegedly attempting to smuggle 5.75 kilograms of heroin into Nigeria.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) identified the suspect as Will Jessica Ann, who was arrested on Monday, July 6, during the arrival clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways Flight QR1433 from Doha. She was travelling with her three-year-old son.
According to reports, officers discovered 14 large blocks of heroin concealed inside two suitcases linked to the suspect.
The agency said the woman initially denied travelling with any checked baggage. However, further checks revealed that the luggage tags on the suitcases matched the claim tags attached to her passport.
Faced with the evidence, she reportedly admitted ownership of the bags, claiming she had forgotten she had checked them in.
The NDLEA said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect travelled from Cambodia through Doha before arriving in Abuja.
The agency also alleged that intelligence gathered during the investigation links the suspect and her husband, Jan Coenraad De Jager, to a transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Cambodia–South Africa route.
The suspect remains in the custody of the NDLEA as investigations continue.
