Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a Delhi, India-bound passenger, Freeman Ogbonna, at the screening point of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, for ingesting 80 wraps of cocaine.
The spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, made the development known in a statement on Sunday.
Babafemi noted that “Ogbonna was arrested on Sunday, March 31, 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 the ingestion of illicit drugs.
“Preliminary checks revealed his real identity as Freeman Ogbonna, and he was subsequently placed under observation in the 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 grammes through his mouth and anus over a period of four days.”
The NDLEA spokesperson added that Ogbonna accepted to take “the great risk that almost took his life” because of a promise of a N300,000 reward if he successfully delivered the consignment to India.
“The great risk that almost took his life notwithstanding, Ogbonna said he was given the drugs to swallow at a hotel in the Ipodo area of Ikeja with a promise to reward him with N300,000 cash if he successfully delivers the consignment in India,” he said.
In the same vein, Babafemi noted that NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport, on Wednesday, April 3, intercepted a drug mule, Imran Olalekan, at Gate C Departure of Terminal 1, travelling to Oman with check-in luggage and a backpack.
He said, “When his check-in bag and backpack were subjected to a thorough search, the operatives discovered a false bottom concealment of drugs in the check-in luggage and the walls of the backpack.
“The NDLEA officers swiftly moved in on a man who accompanied the suspect to the airport. He was later identified as Ishola Olalekan who recruited the trafficker.
“Imran Taofeek Olalekan said he returned from Dubai some years ago but still has a valid residence permit on his old passport. He claimed he was promised N1,500,000 if he successfully delivered the consignment in Oman, while his recruiter, Ishola, was to be paid N200,000.”
“At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives also on Wednesday, April 3, intercepted 2,144 parcels of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 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.
“The drugs packed in 46 jumbo bags were found concealed in used 2009 Lexus RX 350, 2011 Toyota Sienna, and 2009 Lexus ES 350 as well as used engines, automobile doors, tyres, and used household goods as well as big drums loaded into the container,” Babafemi added.
The anti-narcotics agency’s mouthpiece further stated that a 48-year-old suspect, Gidado Sani, who jumped the bail granted him by a Federal High Court in Kano on drug offence charges, was on Friday, April 5, re-arrested in the Sharada area of the state with 85 blocks of cannabis weighing 50.1kg.
He added, “NDLEA operatives in Ogun State on Thursday, April 4, arrested another suspect Wasiu Jimoh, during a raid operation at Ilese Awo, with 84 parcels (62kg) of cannabis sativa.
“Operatives in Lagos on Wednesday, April 3, intercepted a suspect, Emeka Umeh, with 506.2kg cannabis at Igbede, Ojo area of the state, while another suspect, Victor Okeke, was nabbed on Friday at Igbo Elerin, Ojo, with 142g of cannabis sativa and 175 litres of skuchies recovered from him.
“An attempt by 35-year-old Ifeanyi Udogwu to smuggle 1.5kg cocaine concealed in music speakers from Lagos through Aba, Abia State, to his uncle, Ifeanyi Udogwu, based in Cameroon, was thwarted on Wednesday, April 3, when NDLEA officers working in collaboration with the transport company, Young Shall Grow Motors, arrested him.”
