NDLEA arrests Brazil returnee with cocaine concealed in private part

…seizes over 9,939kg Loud, Colos, Skunk seized in Lagos, Niger, others

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) has arrested a Brazil-based Nigerian businessman, Uche Onyekwere, at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja-Lagos for concealing parcels of cocaine in his private part and soles of his footwear.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director in charge of Media and Advocacy, in a statement on Sunday, disclosed that Onyekwere was arrested on last week Thursday during the inward clearance of South African Airways flight passengers arriving from Brazil via Johannesburg following processed intelligence.

“When the 47-year-old suspect was taken for full body scan, the result confirmed illicit drug concealment”, the statement said.

A body check revealed that a big parcel of white powdery substance, which later tested positive for cocaine, was wrapped around his right thigh, while a further search revealed two additional wraps of the same substance concealed in the sole of a pair of flat shoes worn by the suspect.

“In all, three large wraps of cocaine, with a gross weight of 1.60 kilograms, were recovered from his body and footwear”, he said.

According to the NDLEA, “during a preliminary interview, the suspect revealed he purchased the illicit drug consignment in Brazil with the intention to resell the cocaine in Nigeria in order to raise capital to boost his business and also finance the naming ceremony of his newly born child.

The suspect who lives in Rua Ever, Mulariuha, São Paulo, claimed that he had been living in Brazil since 2008 while he had been operating a toy business for about nine years.

The anti-nacortic agency also revealed that a total of 55 jumbo bags of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis with a gross weight of 1,183 kilograms imported from Montreal, Canada in a container was discovered at the Tincan Island port, Lagos, on Wednesday 28th January during a joint examination of the shipment by NDLEA officers, Customs and other security agencies.

“The illicit consignments were hidden inside two vehicles: a Hyundai SUV and a Toyota Matrix car.”

In Niger state, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence in the early hours of last week Tuesday intercepted a long truck marked T 31589 LA along Dei-Dei Abuja expressway where they arrested the trio of Andy Chidogu, 49; Kenneth Ogene, 45; and Sadiq Olanrewaju, 27, for conveying 176 bags of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 2,735 kilograms and 1 kilogram of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, concealed in the truck.

Investigations revealed that Kenneth Ogene who drives the truck left Lagos on 23rd January loaded with 800 bags of flour to Ekpoma, Edo State and arrived the following day 24th January. In Ekpoma, he then negotiated to transport the 176 bags of skunk and 1kg Colos for N1.7million.

In another interdiction operation, NDLEA operatives in Edo State last week Tuesday, arrested Shaibu Yusuf along Auchi-Abuja express road while looking for a vehicle to convey 66 bags of skunk concealed in bags of charcoal, weighing 792kg, to Katsina.

Also, in Edo, operatives supported by Nigerian Army personnel last week Wednesday raided a cannabis farm at Ebora camp, Ilushi in Esan South East LGA where 4,063.675kg skunk was destroyed on over 1.6 hectares farmland while 328kg processed cannabis and its seeds were recovered.

The agency arrested Jeremiah Nwodeh, 46; Chukwudi Pius,33; Pius Ogaba, 46; and Onora Kwene, 35.

In Anambra State, NDLEA operatives last week Wednesday intercepted a cement truck at Upper Iweka Onitsha, heading to Nkpor, where a search on the trailer revealed that bags of cement were used to conceal 345.2kg skunk, allegedly owned by Abum Okeke, 42, who was one of the three occupants of the truck at the time of arrest.

The agency also revealed that ” At least, two suspects: Tunde Ogundele, 39, and Soji Elegbelye, 46, were last week Monday arrested at Eleyewo community in Akure North area of Ondo State, in connection with the seizure of 473kg skunk.

The NDLEA operatives in Kano on same day also arrested Abdullahi Usman, 45, at Murtala Mohammed way, with 12,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection recovered from him.

Another 4,390 pills of tramadol were seized from another suspect Musa Shuaibu, 42, when he was arrested in Gaya area of Kano last week Tuesday.

According to the agency, another suspect, Oragwan Ekene was arrested last week Friday at Okeyson park, Alaba, Lagos, with 15.5kg skunk heading to Onitsha, Anambra state with the illicit consignment, 3.5kg of same psychoactive substance was recovered from a sound system and two packets of cereal found in the luggage of Omang Edward at the arrival tarmac of Seme border, Badagry.

The suspect was said to be coming to Lagos from Cotonou, Benin Republic.