The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 41-year-old businessman based in São Paulo, Brazil, for allegedly importing 6.10kg of liquid cocaine concealed in shirts and towels.
In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos, upon arrival from Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight on Thursday.
A thorough search of his luggage led to the recovery of 14 towels and shirts, all soaked in liquid cocaine, then dried and thoroughly ironed. In his statement, the suspect claimed to have lived in Brazil for over 14 years, where he runs an African restaurant. He said he was in Nigeria to visit his wife and purchase foodstuffs in bulk for his business.
Other arrests
Meanwhile, the NDLEA has taken into custody a 60-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man, both living with disabilities, in Abia and Rivers States respectively, for their involvement in illicit drug trafficking.
The woman was arrested with 1.8kg of skunk by a vigilance group in Umuna Autonomous Community, Isialangwa North Local Government Area of Abia State, and handed over to the NDLEA on June 10. The male suspect was apprehended during a raid in Rumuokoro, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on June 9, with 400g of skunk, 5g of methamphetamine, 100g of tramadol, 5g of swinol, and 18g of diazepam.
WADA sensitisation continues
The agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities over the past week. These included enlightenment lectures at Government Science School, Lafia (Nasarawa State); Community Secondary School, Imufu, Enugu Ezike (Enugu State); Araromi Junior Secondary School, Ijora, Lagos; traditional leaders in Minjibir LGA, Kano State; and St Charles College, Onitsha (Anambra State). In addition, the Rivers Command of the NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to Eze Onyekachi Amaonwu, the paramount ruler of Eberi Omuma kingdom. (NAN)