Men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested eight suspects over attempts to import hundreds of cocaine pellets into Nigeria and export thousands of Tramadol 255mg tablets among other illicit drugs to Europe through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
About four freight agents were arrested in connection with the seizure of illicit substances concealed in a consolidated cargo going to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
They include: Balogun Adesola Olamilekan; Sulaimon Kaosarat Yetunde; Benjamin Christopher Joel; and Omoniyi Ibukun Abraham.
Other streaks of arrests began on July 17 when a 52-year-old father of three, Okwo Paul Okechukwu, was arrested upon his arrival from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia via an Ethiopian airline flight at the Abuja airport for ingesting 76 pellets of cocaine.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said during preliminary interview, Okechukwu who hails from Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North LGA, Enugu State, said he was into selling women’s wigs and hair attachment before veering into the drug trade.
In the same vein, another father of three, Lawrence Chijioke, 42, was arrested at the Abuja airport same day in an operational synergy between NDLEA and Nigeria Customs Service at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Chijioke, who hails from Umuahia in Umuahia LGA, Abia State was arrested during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airline flight from Addis Ababa with 529 pellets of cocaine weighing 11.70kg concealed in his bag.
In his statement to anti-narcotic officers, he claimed he was promised N2 million, which he planned to use to boost his business, upon successful delivery of the cocaine consignment in Abuja.
NDLEA operatives also on July 23 arrested 29-year-old Onuorah Caritas Onyinye at the Enugu airport upon arrival on Ethiopian airline flight from Addis Ababa.
A search of her luggage led to the discovery of 2.192kilograms of cocaine concealed in two designer’s women handbags with false linings.
Also on Monday, July 18, the bid by an Italy-bound passenger, Tony Osas, to export 10, 250 tablets of Tramadol 255 mg to Europe through the Lagos airport were foiled by NDLEA operatives who intercepted him at gate B departure hall during outward clearance of passengers on a Turkish airline flight to Milan.
During a search of his luggage, Osas who hails from Ovia South – West local government area of Edo State was found with the illicit substance that weighed 5.70kg concealed inside gari, a local cassava product tucked in his black handbag.
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