THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has thwarted fresh attempts by Brazil-based drug cartels to smuggle substantial quantities of cocaine into Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (NAIA) and Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
NDLEA, in a statement by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, said the illicit Class-A substances were concealed in teabags.
The agency said at least four traffickers involved in the attempts to import and export illicit drugs through the country in the last week are now in its custody.
According to the NDLEA, one of them is 33-year-old Pascal Ekene Okolo, an indigene of Ogwu Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State, who was arrested during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo via Doha at the arrival hall of the NAIA on April 17.
Okolo, who claimed to be in the wine business in Brazil, was arrested with a travelling bag containing different medicinal tea bags used to conceal 4.1kilograms of cocaine.
Anigo Christian Godspower, a Canada-based Nigerian, was also intercepted at the D-Arrival Hall of the MMIA, Ikeja, during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways from Sao Paolo via Doha to Lagos.
When his luggage was searched, two blocks of cocaine with a total weight of 2.10kg were discovered.
The 52-year-old Anigo hails from Udi LGA of Enugu state.
Also arrested, according to the statement between 16th and 17th April, in connection with an attempt to export drugs to Monrovia, Liberia, include Idokoja Solomon Chukwurah and Patrick John Tochukwu.
In addition, NDLEA said its operatives raided Kano, Kaduna, Benue and Akwa Ibom states and seized no less than 88,734 doses of tramadol, pentazocine, diazepam and swinol.
A reporter with the ICIR
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