National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA on Sunday said its operatives during the week arrested a Delhi, India-bound passenger, Freeman Charles Ogbonna at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos for ingesting 80 wraps of cocaine.
NDLEA, in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect was arrested at the screening point of terminal 2 of MMIA.
Babafemi said, “Ogbonna was arrested on Sunday 31st March while attempting to board his flight to Delhi, India via Doha on Qatar Airways, with a Liberian international passport, bearing the name: Carr Bismark.
“He was taken for a body scan, which tested positive for ingestion of illicit drugs.
“Preliminary checks revealed his real identity as Freeman Charles Ogbonna and was subsequently placed under observation in NDLEA custody where he started to manifest signs of discomfort.
“Obviously choked by the volume of illicit drugs in his stomach and another substance taken to hold back excretion, the suspect soon began to retch before starting to vomit and excrete wraps of cocaine he ingested almost simultaneously.
“The suspect who claimed he was recruited into drug trafficking by one of his relatives eventually passed out a total of 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 889 grams through his mouth and anus over a period of four days.
“The great risk that almost took his life notwithstanding, Ogbonna said he was given the drugs to swallow at a hotel in Ipodo area of Ikeja with a promise to reward him with N300,000 cash if he successfully delivers the consignment in India”.
Continuing, the agency said, “At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives also on Wednesday 3rd April, intercepted 2,144 parcels of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing of 1,072kg.
“The seizure was made during a joint examination with Customs Service and other stakeholders of a container marked GAOU 6699215 coming from Montreal, but originated from Toronto, Canada.
