The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Sunday said it arrested two suspected drug traffickers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, noted that the suspects excreted 165 wraps of cocaine.
He identified them as Iro Elvis, 53, and Uwaezuoke Ikenna, 42.
The statement said, “The 53-year-old Elvis, who is a father of four children, hails from Abiriba, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State. He was arrested on Saturday, March 19, upon his arrival on board an Ethiopian Airline flight from Addis-Ababa, for ingesting 65 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.376kg.
“During a preliminary interview, he claimed that he’s an interior decorator, but had to go into drug trafficking because he needed money to start a coffee business, take care of his family and stock his newly acquired shop with curtain materials/accessories in Lagos. He said he would have been paid $1,000 on successful delivery of the drug in Abuja.
“Another passenger on the same flight, 42-year-old Uwaezuoke Christian Ikenna, was also arrested on arrival for ingesting 100 pellets of cocaine with a total weight of 2.243kg. Ikenna, who hails from Ojoto, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, claims he’s a businessman dealing in baby wears before venturing into drug trafficking.
“During a preliminary interview, he said he travelled to Addis Ababa on Thursday, March 17, to buy the drug for $10,000 and returned on Saturday, March 19, when he was arrested. He said he sold his land in his village and took loans from friends to be able to raise money to buy the drug.
“He claimed he had to go into drugs to raise money for his business after being duped of $15,000 by his friend who lives in China.”
The NDLEA also said narcotics officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation intercepted substantial quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and cannabis sativa packaged for export to Australia, China, Qatar, Ireland and Thailand through some courier companies in Lagos.
“In Rivers, operatives on Thursday, March 24, raided the notorious Abuja Water Front of Port Harcourt City following information provided by arrested suspects on their sources of supply.
“Three suspects: Larry Samuel, Mark James and Happiness Joseph, were arrested at the drug hub with 339.524kg of cannabis sativa, methamphetamine and tramadol and N791,100 cash recovered from them, while another drug dealer in the area, Uduak Paul Emmanuel, remains at large.
“In Ogun, a 30-year-old lady, Peace Egidigbo, was arrested with 1863kg of cannabis sativa at Mowe, Obafemi/Owode LGA on Wednesday, March 23, while no less than 150 blocks of cannabis weighing 90.800kg were seized from the cargo compartment of a bus owned by a transport company along the Orji River via Onitsha Road, Enugu State,” the statement added.
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