NDLEA intercepts Brazil returnee with cocaine hidden in private parts, footwear
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have arrested a Brazil-based Nigerian businessman, Uche Onyekwere, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, for attempting to smuggle cocaine concealed in his private parts and the soles of his footwear.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said Onyekwere, 47, was arrested on Thursday, January 29, during the inward clearance of South African Airways passengers arriving from Brazil via Johannesburg, following processed intelligence.
Babafemi said a body scan confirmed illicit drug concealment, after which a strip search led to the discovery of a large parcel of white powdery substance, later confirmed to be cocaine, wrapped around his right thigh.
“Two additional wraps of the same substance were also recovered from the soles of the flat shoes he was wearing,” he said.
“In total, three wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.60 kilogrammes, were recovered from the suspect.
“During preliminary interrogation, Onyekwere said he purchased the drugs in Brazil and planned to sell them in Nigeria to raise capital for his business and to support the naming ceremony of his newborn child.
“The suspect, who lives in São Paulo, Brazil, claimed he had resided in the country since 2008 and had operated a toy business for about nine years.”
He added that in another major interception, NDLEA officers, in a joint operation with the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) and other security agencies, uncovered 55 jumbo bags of Canadian loud, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 1,183 kilogrammes at the Tincan Seaport, Lagos, on Wednesday, January 28.
Babafemi, said the drugs, imported from Montreal, Canada, were concealed inside two vehicles, a Hyundai SUV and a Toyota Matrix, packed in a container.
“In Niger state, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, January 26, intercepted a long truck along the Dei-Dei–Abuja expressway and arrested three suspects — Andy Chidogu, 49; Kenneth Ogene, 45; and Sadiq Olanrewaju, 27 — for conveying 176 bags of skunk weighing 2,735 kilogrammes, alongside one kilogramme of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis,” he said.
“Investigations showed that Ogene, the driver of the truck, had transported 800 bags of flour from Lagos to Ekpoma, Edo state, before negotiating to move the drugs for N1.7 million.
“In Edo state, NDLEA officers arrested Shaibu Yusuf along the Auchi–Abuja expressway while attempting to move 66 bags of skunk concealed in charcoal sacks and weighing 792 kilogrammes to Katsina.
“Also in the state, NDLEA operatives, supported by personnel of the Nigerian Army, raided a cannabis farm at Ebora Camp, Ilushi, in Esan south-east LGA on Wednesday, January 28.
“A total of 4,063.675 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on over 1.6 hectares of farmland was destroyed, while 328 kilogrammes of processed cannabis and seeds were recovered.
“Four suspects — Jeremiah Nwodeh, 46; Chukwudi Pius, 33; Pius Ogaba, 46; and Onora Kwene, 35 — were arrested at the farm.
“In Anambra, NDLEA operatives intercepted a cement truck at Upper Iweka, Onitsha, on Wednesday, January 28. A search revealed 345.2 kilogrammes of skunk concealed in cement bags. One of the occupants of the truck, Abum Okeke, 42, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
“In Ondo state, two suspects — Tunde Ogundele, 39, and Soji Elegbelye, 46 — were arrested at Eleyewo community in Akure North on Monday, January 26, over the seizure of 473 kilogrammes of skunk.
“In Kano, NDLEA officers on the same day arrested Abdullahi Usman, 45, along Murtala Mohammed Way with 12,500 ampoules of pentazocine injection. Another suspect, Musa Shuaibu, 42, was arrested in the Gaya area of the state on Tuesday, January 27, with 4,390 pills of tramadol.
“In Lagos, Oragwan Ekene was arrested on Friday, January 30, at Okeyson Park, Alaba, with 15.5 kilogrammes of skunk while heading to Onitsha, Anambra state.
“Also, at the Seme border in Badagry, NDLEA officers recovered 3.5 kilogrammes of skunk concealed in a sound system and two packets of cereal from the luggage of Omang Peter Edward, who was arriving from Cotonou, Benin Republic.”
