NDLEA Nabs Businessman Ingesting Cocaine, Busts Massive Drug Hauls Nationwide

The National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) continues to crack down on drug trafficking, with a number of significant arrests and seizures across the country.

On Saturday, June 7th, officers at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) apprehended 44-year-old businessman Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka after discovering he had consumed 53 wraps of cocaine.

According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, Ezemokwe was attempting to board Qatar Airways flight QR1434 from Doha to Tehran Khomeini, Iran, when a body scan revealed the drugs ingested. He then excreted 53 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.172 kilogrammes.

“The suspect claimed to have been in the illicit drug trade for two years, operating between West Africa and Iran,” Babafemi said.

This arrest comes only two weeks after a 60-year-old businessman was apprehended at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport with 65 cocaine pellets in his stomach, also bound for Iran.

In a separate operation at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), NDLEA officers collaborated with Aviation Security of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to intercept Edobor Ali, an Italy-bound passenger on an Air France flight.

A search of his luggage revealed 14,410 tramadol 225mg and 200mg pills concealed inside winter jackets.

“The suspect admitted to living in Italy and being hired for 2,000 Euros to courier the drugs to Milan,” Babafemi stated.

Furthermore, at the Port Harcourt Ports in Onne, Rivers State, a joint examination with Customs and other security agencies resulted in the seizure of 157,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth more than N1.1 billion.

The contraband was hidden behind 257 cartons of ceramic sanitary ware.

The NDLEA also reported a raid on a warehouse in Obereakai, Odukpani local government area, Cross River state, on Thursday, June 12th, which resulted in the arrests of Friday Achibong, 47; Abraham Anthony, 21; and Utibe Okon, 24, as well as the recovery of 2,687 kilogrammes of skunk.

On the same day, Iriemi Imonikhe, 49, and Sa’idu Ladan, 30, were arrested on the Bauchi-Jos road with 195 blocks of skunk weighing 287 kilogrammes concealed in their car.

Other notable operations include the seizure of 560 kilogrammes of skunk from a wooden boat at Lagos’ Oniru beach, as well as the arrest of Ishaku Abdullahi, 30, and Buba Usman, 32, at Maiduguri’s Muhammadu Buhari International Airport with ecstasy pills and skunk packaged as ‘Lychee’ and ‘Porro Legal.

The agency has also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy efforts throughout the country.

Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/CEO of the NDLEA, praised the officers for their efforts and emphasised the importance of balancing drug supply and demand reduction initiatives.

He congratulated the MMIA, PHIA, MBIAM, PHPC, Marine, Cross River, and Bauchi commands on their recent accomplishments and encouraged all commands to remain focused on combating drug trafficking and abuse.