NDLEA arrests Paris-bound businessman at Abuja airport for ingesting 74 wraps of heroin, cocaine
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Orizu Ifeanyi Arthur, while attempting to board an Air France flight 844 from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA Abuja to Paris, France for ingesting 74 wraps of heroin and cocaine.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said Orizu was arrested at the boarding gate of the Abuja airport on Sunday 22nd December 2024 during the outward clearance of passengers on Air France.
Babafemi said when the suspect was pulled aside for a body scan, he turned down the request claiming his medical condition would not permit him.
According to the statement, Orizu was thereafter taken into custody for excretion observation during which he excreted a total of 74 wraps of the Class A drugs over a period of seven days.
Babafemi said Orizu claimed he owns a shop at Balogun market, Lagos Island where he sells school and travelling bags.
The suspect, in his statement, said he was promised 3,000 Euros upon successful delivery of the consignment in Paris, the Spokesman revealed.
The suspect left his base in Lagos for the Abuja airport to connect his Air France flight to Paris, hoping to escape detection, Babafemi said.
According to the statement, in another interdiction effort, operatives of the Marine Command of NDLEA at 2:30am on Christmas eve, Tuesday 24th December intercepted two boats loaded with 1,960 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis at the Eleko beach in Lekki area of Lagos.
Babafemi said six foreign nationals who brought the consignments from Ghana were arrested during the operation.
They include: two Ghanaians: Godsway John, 38; and Freedom Kelvin, 33; as well as four Beninese: Chegoun Hounsou, 23; Gadabor Nyameto, 47; Adantg Sasa, 34; and Ayao Kayivi, 21.
The statement reads, “In Katsina, a suspect Ibrahim Shaibu, 35, was arrested in possession of 40 album-size parcels of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 35kg on Christmas day 25th December at Central Motor Park, Katsina, while another suspect Umar Ahmed, 47, was nabbed along Zaria-Malumfashi road, Katsina with 27 parcels of same psychoactive substance weighing 13.5kg on Saturday 28th December.
“A 21-year-old suspect Kosisochukwu Ozigbo was arrested at new Lagos road Benin City, Edo state when the area was raided on Monday 23rd December by NDLEA operatives. Recovered from the suspect include: 32,490 pills of tramadol 225mg, 200mg and 100mg; 936 bottles of codeine-based syrup and various quantities of other opioids.
“The Commands across the country balanced their drug supply reduction operations with War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaigns to schools, markets, worship centres and communities.
“Some of these include: WADA sensitisation lecture delivered by Lagos State Strategic Command in collaboration with Menitos Foundation to residents of Akoka community at Ayetoro primary school, Akoka Bariga; while the Adamawa State command of NDLEA delivered same lecture to members of Jama’atul Nasril Islam during their annual first aid group and leadership camping in Adamawa among others.
“While commending the efforts of the officers and men of NAIA, Katsina, Edo and Marine Commands of the Agency for job well done in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) tasked them and their compatriots nationwide not to rest on the achievements of 2024 but continue to raise the bar in their offensive action against drug barons and cartels with an equal measure of WADA sensitisation campaigns in the new year.”
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