NDLEA arrests three passengers for ingesting 233 wraps of cocaine

Three suspected drug traffickers are being interrogated by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for ingesting 233 wraps of powdery substances that tested positive for cocaine, with a weight of 5.05 kilograms.

Officials of NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, apprehended the suspects, Wednesday.

Two of the suspects, Obiekwe Frank Chuma and Okoye Jacob Okwuchukw, were going to Hong Kong, while Chukwunyere Prince Emmanuel was caught on his way to Italy.

Hamza Umar, NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, gave a breakdown of the seized drugs, thus: “Obiekwe Frank Chuma, 47-year-old who ingested 80 wraps weighing 1.930kg during screening of Emirates passengers; Okoye Jacob Okwuchukwu, 43-year-old was found to have ingested 70 wraps weighing 1.515kg during screening of passengers on an Etihad flight, while Chukwunyere Prince Emmanuel, 39-year-old ingested 83 wraps weighing 1.605kg.

“Prince was going to Bologna in Italy through Frankfurt on Lufthansa. They have voluntarily recorded their statements and our investigators are working on their cases.”

Chuma said he used to be a textile merchant before he suffered financial setback that led him to smuggling drugs, while Okuchukwu said he met his sponsor at a wedding ceremony.

“I have a Diploma in Computer Science at the Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Enugu. I was forced to swallow drugs for many hours in order to continue with my textile business. They promised to pay me over N1 million,” Okoye said.

Emmanuel said he smuggled drugs to settle his bills.

Meanwhile, Ahmadu Giade, chairman/chief executive of NDLEA, expressed concern over the way drug traffickers expose themselves to danger by ingesting poisonous drugs.

“It is very worrisome that highly poisonous substances like cocaine, methamphetamine and similar drugs are brazenly ingested by drug suspects.

Despite the attendant risk, these suspected drug traffickers could still afford to ingest 233 wraps of narcotics. The Agency will continue to sensitise members of the public on the priceless benefits of a drug-free society,” he said.