Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 48-year-old Paris, France-bound businessman, Emmanuel Okechukwu Orjinze for ingesting 111 wraps of cocaine.
He excreted the cocaine after days of observation in the agency’s custody following his arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
Okechukwu who also claims he is a professional footballer in Europe was arrested on Tuesday 21st May during the outward clearance of Airfrance flight AF 878 from Abuja to Paris, France.
Spokesman for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in a statement said that after a body scan confirmed he ingested illicit drugs, Okechukwu was taken into custody where he excreted a total of 111 pellets of cocaine that weighed 1.603kgs over a period of three days.
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“The suspect claimed he does business in the maritime sector while still scouting for any European football club to engage him,” Babafemi said.
In the same vein, NDLEA officers operating at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos have dismantled another drug trafficking syndicate at the airport.
This followed the arrest of four members of the network and the seizure of a total of 8kg of methamphetamine and 7.60kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis imported from South Africa.
The lid was blown off the syndicate when an official within the airport system was intercepted with a backpack and a bag at the departure hall of Terminal 1 of the airport by NDLEA officers with the support of aviation security officers on Tuesday 21st May 2024.
A search of the bags led to the discovery of the illicit substances.
A swift follow-up operation at Ajao Estate area of Lagos led to the arrest of two other members of the syndicate: Chris Nwadozie and Chinedu Nwosu.
Further investigation led to the arrest of another member of the cartel working within the airport system on Saturday 25th May.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport have arrested a freight agent, Sonubi Mariam Abiodun over her attempt to cargo 8 parcels of cocaine weighing 2kg concealed in three out of six paint buckets containing shea butter packaged for export to the United Kingdom on Wednesday 22nd May.
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