NDLEA nabs two suspects with cocaine haul

 The Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two suspects, in connection with alleged importation of 51 million Naira (about $340,000) worth of cocaine into the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) of Lagos.

NDLEA commander at the MMIA, Hamza Umar said on Monday that the suspects - Olalekan Idris Bamidele and Nnana Kenneth Chukwuma - were picked up during search operations on passengers arriving from Brazil on Qatar Airways. Mr Umar stated that Bamidele allegedly checked in a luggage containing 5.3 kg of cocaine into a Qatar Airline flight at Sao Paulo while Chukwuma who also arrived from Brazil tested positive to drug ingestion.

He added that Chukwuma was still under observation after excreting 1.09 kg of cocaine. "A shipment of 5.3 kg of cocaine hidden inside ladies hand bags was intercepted on Sunday at about 2 pm. Another seizure of 1.09 kg of cocaine was last week detected in the belly of a passenger with the aid of a scanning machine," he said.

"The shipments are believed to have been masterminded by members of an international drug cartel that smuggles cocaine first from Brazil to West Africa and from West Africa to Europe and America. Arrests have also been made in connection with the cocaine seizures with an estimated street value of over N51 million," said Mr Umar.

The chairman and chief executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, expressed delight over the arrests particularly Bamidele's whom he said wanted to take advantage of the Islamic festival to import cocaine into the country.

"Though drug barons are wise in exploring ways of smuggling drugs, we are wiser in detecting the drugs and arresting them. This arrest is a warning that we are always alert to scuttle their next plan. We shall continue to expose their devices until they quit the criminal trade," Mr Giade said.

Source: Africa Review