The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a businessman, Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka Christian, for ingesting 53 wraps of cocaine while attempting to board a flight to Iran from Port Harcourt International Airport.

Ezemokwe, 44, was intercepted on Saturday, June 7, while boarding Qatar Airways flight QR1434 to Tehran Khomeini via Doha.

Following a body scan that tested positive for narcotics ingestion, he was placed under observation and excreted the illicit drugs in six batches. The substances weighed a total of 1.172kg.

According to a statement released by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi on Sunday, the suspect admitted to being involved in drug trafficking between West Africa and Iran for the past two years.

This comes just two weeks after NDLEA operatives at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport arrested Chinedu Leonard Okigbo, 60, who was caught with 65 wraps of cocaine in his stomach, also bound for Iran.

The statement said, “Barely two weeks after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, intercepted a 60-year-old businessman, Chinedu Leonard Okigbo, heading to Iran with 65 pellets of cocaine in his stomach, their counterparts at Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) have arrested another businessman, 44-year-old Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka Christian, for ingesting 53 wraps of the same class A drug while on his way to Tehran Khomeini, Islamic Republic of Iran.

“Ezemokwe was arrested at Port Harcourt airport on Saturday, 7 June, while trying to board Qatar Airways flight QR1434 flying to Tehran Khomeini in Iran via Doha. After a body scan proved positive for ingestion of illicit drugs, he was placed under excretion observation during which he expelled 53 wraps of cocaine in six excretions, with a total weight of 1.172kg. The suspect claimed to have been involved in the criminal trade for two years, moving between the West African sub-region and Iran.”

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, arrested an Italy-bound passenger, Edobor Ambrose Ali, for attempting to smuggle 14,410 tramadol pills concealed in winter jackets.

The statement added, “Similarly, NDLEA operatives at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, in the early hours of Saturday, June 14, intercepted an Italy-bound passenger, Edobor Ambrose Ali, on an Air France flight.

“NDLEA officers, in collaboration with the Aviation Security of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), discovered drug consignments hidden in the suspect’s luggage during baggage scanning at the tarmac.

“The suspect was thereafter brought down from the aircraft for baggage identification, after which a thorough search of the bag led to the discovery of 14,410 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg concealed in winter jackets. In his statement, Edobor said he lives in Italy where he was hired and sent on an all-expense-paid trip to Nigeria to courier the drug consignments to Milan, Italy, for a fee of 2,000 Euros.”

In a separate operation, NDLEA officers in Port Harcourt discovered 157,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth over ₦1.1 billion in street value, concealed behind cartons of ceramic sanitary wares.

The statement added, “At the Port Harcourt Ports in Onne, Rivers State, NDLEA operatives on Friday, June 13, intercepted a shipment of 157,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth over ₦1.1 billion in street value during a joint examination of a watch-listed container with men of the Customs Service and other security agencies. The opioid consignments were hidden behind 257 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares.”

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Cross River State raided a warehouse in Obereakai, Odukpani Local Government Area, recovering 2,687kg of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis.

On the same day, along the Bauchi–Jos road, NDLEA personnel acting on intelligence arrested two suspects and recovered 195 blocks of skunk weighing 287kg in a Toyota Camry with registration number AKL 201 GG.

The statement added, “At least three suspects — Friday Achibong Joseph, 47; Abraham Anthony Willy, 21; and Utibe David Okon, 24 — were arrested on Thursday, June 12, when NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse in Obereakai, Odukpani LGA, Cross River State, where a total of 2,687kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis, was recovered.

“On the same day in Bauchi State, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence arrested the duo of Iriemi Imonikhe, 49, and Sa’idu Ladan, 30, along the Bauchi–Jos road after 195 blocks of skunk weighing 287kg w

ere discovered in their Toyota Camry car marked AKL 201 GG.”

In Lagos, operatives of the NDLEA Marine Command recovered 14 jumbo sacks of skunk weighing 560kg from a wooden boat along Oniru beach.

Also, at Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Maiduguri, two suspects were arrested with ecstasy pills and cannabis disguised as snacks labelled ‘Lychee’ and ‘Porro Legal’.

The statement added, “While 14 jumbo sacks of skunk weighing 560kg were recovered from a wooden boat at Oniru beach in Lagos by operatives of the Marine Command of NDLEA on Thursday, 12 June, officers of Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Maiduguri (MBIAM), on the same day arrested two businessmen: Ishaku Abdullahi, 30; and Buba Usman, 32, at the arrival hall of the domestic wing of the airport with various quantities of ecstasy pills and skunk packaged in fanciful wraps labelled as ‘Lychee’ and ‘Porro Legal’.”

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