The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Saturday arrested a woman at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with wraps of substance suspected to be cocaine. The woman identified as Dorothy Onyekas  had faked pregnancy with wraps of the substance but her trick failed.

A statement signed by the agency’s spokesperson, Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju alleged that the 41-year-old mother of three faked her pregnancy with 86 pellets of white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine.

“The drug was intercepted during the inward screening of passengers on an Emirates flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

“The substance has a total weight of 1.720 kilogrammes with an estimated street value of N20.6m,’’ the statement said.

The statement quoted the NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba, as saying that the wraps of cocaine would have been easily mistaken for pregnancy.

“It was discovered that the suspect kept 86 wraps of cocaine inside a bag which was tied to her stomach.

Unfortunately, the drug was detected by NDLEA officers on her arrival from Dubai. The drug was immediately packed and weighed in her presence.

“It had a gross weight of 1.720 kilogrammes,” Ahmadu stated.

The statement also quoted the chairman of the agency, Mr Muhammad Abdallah, as describing the recent drug seizures at the Lagos airport as a welcome development that was capable of forcing drug cartels to a retreat.