The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 44-year-old businessman, Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka, for ingesting 53 wraps of cocaine at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA).
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, said the suspect was arrested while en route to Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Babafemi noted that the arrest came barely two weeks after NDLEA operatives at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, intercepted another businessman, 60-year-old Chinedu Okigbo, with 65 pellets of cocaine in his stomach.
He said Chukwuebuka was apprehended at Port Harcourt airport on Saturday, 7 June, while attempting to board Qatar Airways flight QR1434, headed to Tehran via Doha.
According to him, following a body scan that indicated the ingestion of illicit substances, the suspect was placed under excretion observation.
“During this period, he expelled 53 wraps of cocaine in six excretions, with a total weight of 1.172 kg.
The suspect claimed he entered the criminal trade two years ago, operating between the West African sub-region and Iran,” Babafemi said.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted an Italy-bound passenger, Edobor Ambrose, in the early hours of Saturday, 14 June. He was on an Air France flight.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA officers, working in collaboration with Aviation Security personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), discovered drug consignments hidden in the suspect’s luggage during baggage scanning at the tarmac.
The suspect was subsequently removed from the aircraft for baggage identification.
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A thorough search of the luggage led to the discovery of 14,410 pills of Tramadol (225 mg and 200 mg) concealed in winter jackets.
“In his statement, Edobor said he lives in Italy, where he was hired and sent on the all-expense-paid trip to Nigeria to courier the drug consignments to Milan for a fee of €2,000,” Babafemi stated.
He further quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, as commending officers and men of the MMIA, PHIA, and FAAN commands for the recent arrests and seizures.
Marwa also praised personnel across all NDLEA commands nationwide for maintaining a balanced approach in both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
