The suspects, who have grand children, allegedly ingested a total of 189 wraps of powdery substances weighing 3.140kg, which was detected by the scanning machine at the MMIA.
According to the agency, the drug suspects, Bello Saka Mobolaji, 60, who is a transport administrator residing at Surulere, Lagos and Afolabi Kehinde Victoria, 47, a trader at Owo town in Ondo State were being interrogated by narcotic investigators over their alleged roles in drug trafficking.
Bello, who ingested 83 wraps of substances that tested positive to heroin weighing 1.120kg was stopped from smuggling drugs into Detroit in the United States through a KLM flight, while Afolabi swallowed 106 wraps of substances that proved positive for cocaine weighing 1.920kg on her way to London during screening of passengers on Virgin Atlantic flight.
Speaking on the latest arrest, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, said the agency’s strategic plan, aimed at stemming illicit trade in narcotics as the year draws to a close, was yielding positive result.
“End of year is usually associated with rise in crime rate as most people strive to make money for the yuletide season. This inordinate quest for money compels many into illicit drug trafficking and other criminal activities. We have, therefore, prepared adequately to tackle the antics of drug barons.
We shall stop them by strategic reduction of our threats and maximization of drug control opportunities. The use of older people will certainly not work as these arrests have shown,” he said. NDLEA Airport Commander, Alhaji Hamza Umar, said scanning machines would always detect drugs irrespective of age and status.
According to Hamza, “it is amazing that at their age, they could still involve in drug trafficking. The good thing is that we have the capacity to detect them as scanning machines do not consider age and status.”
Bello, who would have smiled to the bank with 10,000 dollars if he had been successful, said it took him a year to be convinced into drug smuggling. Besides having two busses for transportation in Lagos, he also sells auto parts.
He hails from Ekiti State and has four children who have all graduated from high school.
“My wife had a surgical operation that cost about N1.5 million last year. I am still paying the debt I incurred from the medical bill. All the same, it all started last year when I contemplated smuggling drugs. They gave me bitter cola to swallow, which I did but I latter changed my mind after the trial. Three weeks ago, the same people contacted me and I agreed to do it for 10,000 dollars. Now I know that I have made a mistake,” he lamented.
Afolabi Victoria, who hails from Owo in Ondo State, told narcotic officers that she smuggled drugs because she needed money for medication. She was to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London when scanning machine revealed 106 wraps of cocaine in her stomach.
According to Afolabi, “I needed money for my medication because I am sick. When I met the people in Lagos, they promised to pay me 3,500 pounds and I agreed to swallow the drugs. That was how they lodged me in a hotel where I ingested the drugs for about one and half day period. I am ashamed of myself.”
Both suspects will soon be charged to court.
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