The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended two businessmen and a Canada-based nurse for their involvement in illicit drug trafficking at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos. This information was disclosed by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA operatives detained the suspects for attempting to import and export cocaine pellets and parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis.
Details of the Arrests
- First Suspect:
- A 51-year-old businessman was arrested on October 15 while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Thailand via Addis Ababa.
- He had claimed to frequently import fish from Thailand to Nigeria.
- During a body scan, he was found to have ingested cocaine. He subsequently expelled five egg-sized wraps weighing a total of 400 grams.
- In his confession, he indicated that he was promised payment upon successful delivery of the drugs in Thailand, which he intended to use to enhance his fish importation business.
- Second Suspect:
- A 26-year-old businessman returning from Brazil was intercepted on October 17 during passenger clearance from an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
- A body scan revealed he had ingested cocaine, leading to the expulsion of a 22-gram pellet.
- He admitted to having ingested 30 wraps of cocaine in Brazil but only expelled 29 pellets in Addis Ababa, where he handed off the remaining drugs to another individual.
- The suspect stated that he was to receive N2.5 million for trafficking the drugs.
- Nigerian-Canadian Nurse:
- On October 4, NDLEA officers detained a Nigerian-Canadian nurse during the clearance of Air France passengers arriving from Toronto, Canada, via Paris.
- A search of her luggage revealed 70 parcels of Canadian Loud, weighing a total of 35.70 kg.
Next Steps
All three suspects have been detained and are set to face prosecution for their alleged drug trafficking activities. The NDLEA continues to strengthen its efforts to combat drug trafficking at the country’s airports, ensuring that such illicit activities are met with strict legal repercussions.