Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two drug traffickers, Elvis Uche Iro, 53 and Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian, 42, who later excreted 65 wraps of cocaine following their arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja (NAIA).
Elvis, 53-year-old, who is a father of four, hails from Abiriba, Ohafia LGA of Abia State.
The spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that Elvis was arrested on March 19 upon his arrival aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis-Ababa for ingesting 65 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.376kgs.
“During preliminary interview, he claimed he was an interior decorator but had to go into drug trafficking because he needed money to start a coffee business, take care of his family and stock his newly acquired shop with curtain materials and accessories in Lagos.
“He said he would have been paid $1,000 on the successful delivery of the drug in Abuja,” Babafemi said.
Another passenger on the same flight, 42-year-old Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian, was also arrested on arrival for ingesting 100 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.243kgs.
Ikenna who hails from Ojoto, Idemili South LGA of Anambra State, claims he was a businessman dealing in baby wears before venturing into drug trafficking.
During a preliminary interview, he said he travelled to Addis Ababa on March 7 to buy the drug for $10,000 and returned on March 19 when he was arrested.
Uwaezuoke said he sold his land in his village and took loans from friends to be able to raise money to buy the illicit drug.
He also claimed he went into drug to raise money for his business after being duped of $15,000 by his friend who lived in China.
Meanwhile, narcotics officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation (DOGI), have intercepted substantial quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and hemp packaged for export to Australia, China, Qatar, Ireland and Thailand through some courier companies in Lagos.
While 2.9kg of methamphetamine in packs of black soap and toner machine heading to Australia and Qatar were intercepted, 600 grams of cocaine concealed in school certificates and file folders going to Australia and Thailand were equally seized.
Also, 25.5kg hemp concealed in packs of Dudu Osun soap and tins of palm fruit extracts (banga) heading to China and Ireland were seized at a courier company in Lagos.
Similarly, a total of 2,293.324kg of assorted illicit drugs and N791,100 were recovered in major raids by operatives in Ogun, Rivers and Enugu states in the past week.
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of NAIA, DOGI, Rivers, Ogun and Enugu commands of the agency for their diligence and vigilance, charging them to always strive to raise the bar in their operational feats.