Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 30-year-old Brazilian woman, Ms Ingrid Benevides, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for attempting to smuggle 30.09 kilograms of heroin into Nigeria.

The suspect was intercepted on Friday, January 23, 2026, shortly after arriving in Abuja aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1431.

The arrest followed intelligence-led surveillance on inbound passengers.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that Benevides was found with two checked-in bags containing 21 factory-sealed packs of Brazilian coffee.

A thorough search of the bags revealed that the coffee packs were concealing white substances, which were later confirmed to be heroin with an estimated street value of over N3 billion.

Babafemi noted that the suspect, who identified herself as a private security officer in Brazil, claimed during preliminary interrogation that she brought the illicit drugs into the country while posing as a tourist.

He said Benevides told investigators she came to Nigeria “under the guise of visiting the country for holidays,” adding that further investigations were ongoing.