The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has apprehended a 44-year-old businessman, Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka, at Port Harcourt International Airport for attempting to smuggle cocaine by ingestion.
According to a statement released on Sunday in Abuja by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, Chukwuebuka was caught while en route to Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The arrest, Babafemi noted, occurred just under two weeks after a similar interception at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, where a 60-year-old man, Chinedu Okigbo, was found with 65 pellets of cocaine in his stomach.
Chukwuebuka was arrested on Saturday, June 7, while preparing to board Qatar Airways flight QR1434 to Tehran via Doha.
A body scan conducted by NDLEA operatives revealed drug ingestion, prompting authorities to place him under close observation.
“This was during which he expelled 53 wraps of cocaine in six excretions with a total weight of 1.172kg,” Babafemi said.
He further disclosed that the suspect admitted to joining the drug trade two years ago and has since been trafficking narcotics across West Africa and Iran.
In another operation, NDLEA operatives at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, in Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted Edobor Ambrose, a passenger heading to Italy aboard an Air France flight, in the early hours of Saturday, June 14.
With the cooperation of the Aviation Security team from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, NDLEA officers uncovered drug consignments hidden inside the suspect’s luggage during routine baggage scanning on the tarmac.
Ambrose was immediately removed from the flight for further checks.
A comprehensive search revealed 14,410 pills of tramadol (225mg and 200mg) concealed in winter jackets inside his bag.
“In his statement, Ebodor 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, Italy, for a fee of 2000 Euros,” Babafemi stated.
Chairman of the NDLEA, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, applauded the efforts of the agency’s personnel at MMIA, PHIA, and FAAN for their recent operations. He also extended praise to officers across all commands for their continued efforts in maintaining a balanced approach to both drug supply and demand reduction.