By Gowon Emakpe
Operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a businessman, Molokwu Nwachukwu, for concealing 36 parcels of cocaine in different parts of his check-in bags, hand luggage and two pairs of slippers, while heading to Southeast Asia.
Nwachukwu, who frequents China, Dubai, Pakistan, and Vietnam, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos
Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy of the Agency in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said Nwachukwu was arrested at the screening point of the MMIA Terminal 2 while attempting to board his flight to Vietnam on Wednesday 22nd March.
He said a total of thirty-six parcels of whitish powdery substance that tested positive to Cocaine with a gross weight of 1.00 kilogram were recovered from the handles of his bags and soles of two pairs of slippers in his luggage.
According to him, the suspect claims he travels frequently to China, Dubai, Pakistan and Vietnam, from where he imports baby wears he distributes from his Onitsha, Anambra state base.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the Lagos Airport have thwarted an attempt by a suspect, Chimezie Innocent Nwafor to export 2.10 kilograms of methamphetamine to Brazil.
Follow up operations led to the arrest of three more suspects linked to the consignment at Oyingbo market, Yaba, Lagos. They include: Ifeanyi Onu; Simon Nwuzor and Omini ThankGod Peter. The meth consignment was molded into 25 bars of local black soup called Dudu Osun and packaged in a carton for export to Brazil.
A similar attempt to export a cocaine consignment consisting of 300grams of raw cocaine and 200grams of phenacetin, a chemical agent used to adulterate and increase the volume of cocaine, concealed in packs of air freshener, going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, was also foiled by NDLEA operatives attached to the SAHCO export shed at the Lagos airport on Monday 20th March. A suspect, Onyeze Obiora has already been arrested in connection with the seizure.
Another bid by an intending passenger to Reggio, Italy, Osasere MacDonald, to export 500grams of tramadol 225mg concealed inside a carton of indomie noodles on Tuesday 21st March was equally frustrated by vigilant officers who seized the drugs and arrested him.
On the same day, operatives of the Tincan Port command of the Agency also intercepted 107 kilograms of Cannabis Indica popularly known as Colorado hidden in a container bearing four used vehicles imported from Toronto, Canada. Few days later, Friday 24th March, Apapa Command of Customs Service was able to apprehend and hand over to NDLEA two suspects: Ademola Adekunle and Dayo Olatunji linked to the consignment.
