New Telegraph

NDLEA intercepts cocaine consignments at Port Harcout, Abuja, Lagos airports

Desperate attempts by a Brazil-based drug cartel to smuggle large consignments of cocaine into Nigeria through three major international airports in Port Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos have been foiled by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The operation led to the arrest of seven traffickers. In a statement yesterday, NDLEA’s spokesperson, Mr. Femi Babafemi, disclosed that at the Port Harcourt International Airport, five suspects were arrested  on Saturday, April 9, 2022.

 

He added that three of them were arrested during the inward screening of passengers on board a Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Doha to Port Harcourt, saying they departed Sao Paulo, Brazil on board the same Qatar flight, en-route Doha to Abuja and Port Harcourt with a total of 24.96 kilograms of cocaine. Baba femi stated further that the first suspect, a 51-year-old  man, Udogwu Johnson, from Orlu Local Government Area in Imo State was arrested with 5.48kg of cocaine concealed in lotion plastic bottles sealed with candle wax. He claimed he agreed to traffic the drug for a fee of N1million.

 

Also arrested is Ezekwueme Valentine, 32, from Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State, who was caught with 10.82kg cocaine packed in 84 sachets concealed in seven duvets, while the third trafficker, Chiezie Arinze, 35, from Dunukofia Local Government Area, Anambra State, was arrested with 8.66kg cocaine hidden in 115 golden and silver colour 30ml breakable bottles factory packaged with lotion on top.

The fourth suspect, Uchechukwu Onwugbufor, 42, from Idemili North LGA, Anambra State, was said to have been arrested at the Airport car park while waiting to receive one of the traffickers, Udogwu James and his consignment.

At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, a Psychology graduate of Imo State University, Owerri, Sebastine Kelvin, 30, was arrested with 74 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.454kg on arrival aboard Ethiopian Airline flight enroute Doula- Addis Ababa- Abuja on Wednesday April 13.

 

The father of one claimed to be a motor spare parts dealer from Ezeagu in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu state. He said he lived in Cameroon for six years before going into the drug business to raise money to boost his trade.

He added that he was introduced to the man who gave him the drugs at Addis Ababa by another person serving jail term for drug offence at the Doula Newbell Prison.

 

In Lagos, another Brazilbased passenger, Uba Samuel, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, by NDLEA operatives on Friday April 15, 2022, on arrival aboard Ethiopian Airline flight from Sao Paulo via Addis Ababa to Lagos with sachets of cocaine weighing 633grams concealed in his footwear and toothpaste tube.

 

The suspect who claimed to be a shoemaker and barber hails from Umunneochi, Abia State.

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