The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,NDLEA has intercepted more Consignments of cocaine from Brazil, just as two pregnant women were arrested alongside other drug traffickers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for attempting to import and export illicit drugs.
The first to enter the Agency’s dragnet is a Brazilian returnee, Nworie Phillip Chikwendu who was arrested on Tuesday May 3rd during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil enroute Doha to Lagos.
During a thorough search of his luggage, two parcels of cocaine were discovered concealed in a pair of brown slippers hidden in his ox blood backpack. A further search of the pair of black slippers worn by the suspect also led to the recovery of additional two parcels of cocaine built into the soles of his foot wears, bringing the total to four parcels weighing 800grams.
Nworie who claimed to be a barber in Sao Paulo, said he came to Nigeria for the burial of his father. He confessed he decided to get into the criminal act because his trip was sponsored by his Brazil-based friend who gave him the drug to deliver in Lagos for a fee of 2million Naira.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the airport intercepted some cartons of alcoholic drinks suspected to contain illicit drugs. A freight agent who brought the consignment for export to Dubai, UAE, Shola Ogunrinde was immediately arrested while a follow up operation led to the arrest of a pregnant woman, Mrs. Seun Babatunde, who operates an alcohol joint in Pleasure area of Iyana Ipaja of Lagos State.
The second pregnant woman, Mrs. Gloria Asibor was arrested on Thursday 5th May while attempting to board a Turkish Airline flight to Bolonia, Spain via Istanbul, Turkey. A search of her luggage containing food items led to the discovery of 300 tablets of 200mg and 225mg high dosage Tramadol concealed in crayfish.
Meanwhile, large consignments of psychoactive substances have been intercepted in parts of Northwest, Northeast and North central of Kaduna, Borno, Plateau as well as Lagos State.
Spokesman of the Agency, Femi Babafemi said the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa has commended the officers and men of the Agency for the arrests and seizures. He charged them to sustain the heat on drug cartels as well as balance their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
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