The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two persons for allegedly trafficking 191 pellets of heroin and cocaine via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The agency’s director of media and advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued on Sunday, said this came barely two weeks after a Madrid, Spain-bound trafficker, Okonkwo Chimezie Henry, excreted 113 wraps of cocaine after his arrest at the same airport.
Babafemi said the two suspects excreted 191 pellets of heroin and cocaine while under observation. He added that on April 10 during the outward screening of passengers on Ethiopian airline to Italy, NDLEA operatives in the airport intercepted and referred one Chukwudi Destiny for scanning and the scan result proved positive to drug ingestion.
“Consequently, he was placed under excretion observation and in the process; he excreted 92 pellets of Heroin with a total weight of 1.300kg.
“Also on April 12 during the inbound examination of consignments on Ethiopian airline cargo flight from South Africa, operatives at Skyway Aviation Handling Company import shed made a seizure of 11.550kg of heroin.
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“This was cleverly packed and concealed in cornflakes cartons. Four clearing agents are in custody in connection to the seizure,” he said.
Babafemi quoted the NDLEA commander at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Ahmadu Garba as saying a sting operation was executed on the address provided by one of the suspects.
He said that in the process, a Congolese, Kayembe Kamba Mazepy was arrested, adding that after his arrest, he mentioned another person who was to receive the parcel from him.
“On the strength of the information, another sting operation was conducted in the early hours of April 17, where the person that came to take delivery was arrested,” he said.
Babafemi further said on April 16, another trafficker, Ezekiel Chibuzo, who arrived in Lagos from Brazil on board Qatar airline, was also arrested for alleged drug ingestion.
He said the suspect also excreted 99 wraps of cocaine, while officers at export shed of the airport have seized 834.50kg of khat leaves heading to UK and U.S.
Reacting to the latest drug haul at the airport, chairman, NDLEA, Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the MMIA command for their commitment to the nation’s crusade against illicit drugs.
“While I commend the officers and men of our MMIA command, let me again warn unrepentant barons and traffickers that the game is up for them. This is because we’ll continue to disrupt their criminal trade as part of efforts to secure our country and protect the future of our youths,” Marwa said.
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