The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA have arrested two drug traffickers, Elvis Uche Iro, 53 and Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian, 42, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, for ingesting the illicit drug. They excreted the drugs while under observation in the Agency’s custody.
Elvis, who is 53 years old and the father of four children, hails from Abiriba in Abia state’s Ohafia local government area. He was apprehended on Saturday, March 19th, while boarding an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis-Ababa for eating 65 cocaine pellets weighing 1.376kg.
A statement released by the agency’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi state that during the preliminary interrogation, he claimed to be an interior decorator who became involved in drug trafficking because he needed money to build a coffee shop, support his family, and fill his recently purchased shop in Lagos with curtain materials and accessories. He said he would have been paid $1,000 US dollars if the medicine had been delivered successfully in Abuja.
A 42-year-old passenger on the same flight, Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian, was also arrested upon arrival for eating 100 cocaine pellets weighing 2.243kg. Ikenna, who is from Ojoto in Anambra’s Idemili South Local Government Area, claims to have worked as a baby clothes salesman before turning to drug trafficking.
During preliminary interview, he said he traveled to Addis Ababa on Thursday 17th March to buy the drug for Ten Thousand ($10,000) US dollars and returned on Saturday 19th March when he was arrested. He said he sold his land in his village and took loans from friends to be able to raise money to buy the drug.
He claimed he had to go into drug to raise money for his business after being duped of Fifteen Thousand ($15,000) US dollars by his friend who lives in
China.
In a related development, narcotic officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI, have intercepted substantial quantities of Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Cannabis sativa packaged for export to Australia, China, Qatar, Ireland and Thailand through some courier companies in Lagos.
While 2.9kg of Methamphetamine in packs of black soup and toner machine heading to Australia and Qatar was intercepted; 600grams of Cocaine concealed in school certificates and file folders going to Australia and Thailand were equally seized. No less than 25.5kg cannabis concealed in packs of Dudu Osun soap and tins of palm fruit extracts (banga) heading to China and Ireland was also seized at a courier company in Lagos.
Meanwhile, 2,293.324 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and Seven Hundred and Ninety One Thousand, One Hundred Naira (N791, 100. 00) were recovered in major raids by operatives in Ogun, Rivers and Enugu state in the past week.
In Rivers, operatives on Thursday 24th March raided the notorious Abuja Water Front of Port Harcourt City following information provided by arrested suspects, on their sources of supply.
A total of three suspects: Larry Samuel; Mark James and Happiness Joseph were arrested at the drug hub with 339.524kg of Cannabis Sativa, Methamphetamine and Tramadol seized and N791, 100.00 cash recovered from them while another drug dealer in the area Uduak Paul Emmanuel remains at large.
In Ogun, a 30-year-old lady, Peace Egidigbo, was arrested with 1863kg of Cannabis Sativa in Mowe, Obafemi/Owode LGA on Wednesday 23rd March, while no less than 150 blocks of cannabis weighing 90.800kg were seized from the cargo compartment of a bus owned by a transport company along Orji river via Onitsha express road, Enugu state.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) in his reaction commended the officers and men of NAIA, DOGI, Rivers, Ogun and Enugu Commands of the Agency for their diligence and vigilance. He encouraged them to always strive to raise the bar in their operational feats.
