THE National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a 44-year-old businessman, Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka Christian, for ingesting 53 wraps of cocaine.
According to a statement by the NDLEA on Sunday June 15 signed by its spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the suspect Ezemokwe was on his way to Tehran Khomeini, Islamic Republic of Iran when he was appended at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The agency said Ezemokwe was arrested on Saturday June 7 while trying to board aQatar Airways flight QR1434 to Tehran.
“After a body scan proved positive to ingestion of illicit drug, he was placed on excretion observation during which he expelled 53 wraps of cocaine in six excretions with a total weight of 1.172kg.
“The suspect claimed to have gone into the criminal trade two years ago, moving between the West African sub-region and Iran, “the agency stated.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos in the early hours of Saturday June 14 intercepted an Italy bound passenger Edobor Ambrose Ali on an Air France flight.
The NDLEA said its officers in collaboration with the Aviation Security of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), discovered drug consignments hidden in the luggage of the suspect during baggage scanning at the tarmac.
The suspect was thereafter brought down from the aircraft for baggage identification after which a thorough search of the bag led to the discovery of 14, 410 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg concealed in winter jackets.
In his statement, Ebodor said he lives in Italy where he was hired and sent on the all-expense paid trip to Nigeria to courier the drug consignments to Milan, Italy for a fee of 2000 Euros,the NDLEA said.
A reporter with the ICIR
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