NDLEA INTERCEPTS EUROPE-BOUND COCAINE, OTHERS AT LAGOS AIRPORT.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA has intercepted large consignments of illicit drugs especially cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and ephedrine billed for Europe through various disingenuous modes of concealment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.

NDLEA disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying it seized 75.75kgs of cannabis indica, which came from Montreal, Canada, hidden in a container of four used vehicles. It said top on the list of those so far arrested in connection with the seizures is a Nigerian based in Athens, Greece, Iwuozor Chinedu.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said further in a statement that Iwuozor Chinedu was debarked from an Ethiopian airline flight on Friday, February 3:

He was debarked from an Ethiopian airline flight on Friday 3rd February after officers in the tarmac team of NDLEA intercepted two bags during a secondary check exercise at the foot of the aircraft.

When the bags were searched in the presence of Chinedu and other airport stakeholders, two big pellets wrapped with foil papers and some sprinkles of pepper were recovered from each of the two sides of one of the bags. The pellets were used to construct false walls at the sides of the bag.

The two parcels contained substances that tested positive to cocaine and heroin with a gross weight of 1.30kgs and 900grams respectively.

Babafemi added that during preliminary interview, Chinedu claimed he came to Nigeria three months ago to do a surgery, which he was not comfortable doing in Athens.

Similarly, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the airport on Monday 30th January arrested a pregnant woman, Mrs. Sylvester Gloria Onome after 800grams of skunk were discovered concealed in two small radio sets she was sending to Dubai, United Arab Emirate.