The National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 44-year-old businessman Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka Christian at Port Harcourt International Airport for ingesting 53 wraps of cocaine while attempting to travel to Tehran, Iran.
According to NDLEA's Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the arrest occurred on June 7 as the suspect was boarding Qatar Airways flight QR1434 to Tehran via Doha. After a positive body scan, Christian was placed under observation, during which he expelled the 53 cocaine wraps weighing 1.172kg through six excretions.
The suspect reportedly confessed to being involved in drug trafficking for two years, operating between West Africa and Iran.
Other Major Drug Busts
This arrest comes barely two weeks after NDLEA operatives at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport intercepted 60-year-old businessman Chinedu Leonard Okigbo, who was also heading to Iran with 65 cocaine pellets in his stomach.
In a separate operation on June 14, NDLEA officers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos arrested Italy-bound passenger Edobor Ambrose Ali. Working with Aviation Security officials, they discovered 14,410 pills of tramadol (225mg and 200mg) hidden in winter jackets in his luggage. Ali admitted he was promised 2,000 Euros to transport the drugs to Milan.
At Port Harcourt Ports in Onne, Rivers State, a joint examination with Customs Service on June 13 led to the seizure of 157,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at over N1.1 billion. The opioid shipment was concealed behind 257 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares.
Additional Seizures Across Nigeria
NDLEA operations across the country yielded several other significant drug seizures:
In Cross River State, three suspects were arrested on June 12 after a raid on a warehouse in Obereakai, Odukpani LGA, where 2,687kg of skunk (a cannabis strain) was recovered.
In Bauchi State, two suspects were arrested along Bauchi-Jos road with 195 blocks of skunk weighing 287kg in their Toyota Camry.
At Oniru beach in Lagos, the Marine Command recovered 14 jumbo sacks of skunk weighing 560kg from a wooden boat.
At Muhammadu Buhari International Airport in Maiduguri, two businessmen were arrested with ecstasy pills and skunk packaged as 'Lychee' and 'Porro Legal'.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers involved in these operations for their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and demand reduction efforts.
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