NDLEA seizes N150m cocaine from Brazil

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Sunday said it had intercepted 17 kilogrammes of cocaine unlawfully imported from Brazil. The NDLEA put the street value of the seized substance at N150m.


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A statement by the agency quoted its Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, as saying that the illicit substance was seized at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

According to the statement, which was signed by the Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, the seized cocaine was hidden in plastic pipes, bed sheets and a pair of shoes.

Giving the breakdown of the seizure, Ofoyeju said that 10.5 kilogrammes was concealed in 18 plastic pipes allegedly imported by one Michael Chukwu, 43, aboard a Qatar Airways flight.

Also six kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in bed sheets was found in the bag of one Ani Michael, 31, while one kilogramme was recovered in a pair of shoes belonging to one Isiwele Hase, 40.

Consequently, the anti-narcotic agency said it had placed the Brazil-Nigeria route on “red alert”

“Several arrests of passengers on the Brazilian route have necessitated the red alert by the NDLEA to cripple illicit drug traffickers. Five suspected drug traffickers are also undergoing interrogation over their alleged roles to smuggle drugs through the Lagos airport. The 10.5 kilogrames of cocaine is the highest single seizure of cocaine made at the airport since January with an estimated street value of N100m,” the statement added

According to Giade, “We have placed the Nigeria-Brazil route on red alert because it is becoming notorious and we are determined to stop them. Several arrests have been made on the route. The red alert is a counter measure to incapacitate drug cartels.”

The NDLEA Airport Commander, Alhaji Hamza Umar, said the suspected traffickers that facilitated the importation of the illicit drugs were being interrogated by narcotic investigators.

Umar said that the 43-year-old suspect, Chukwu, who works in Brazil said he was promised $5,000 to deliver the bag of cocaine in Nigeria.

“I have been working in Brazil for two years but the little money I make is used to settle bills. I met a Nigerian for assistance and he asked me to send the bag to Nigeria for a fee of $5,000. I agreed to do it because of my financial predicament,” the statement quoted Chukwu as saying in his confessional statement.

Meanwhile, two other suspects, Peace Amen, 35, and Agwu Okafor, that ingested 91 wraps of substances suspected to be narcotics have been placed on observation by the anti-narcotic agency.

According to the agency, Amen was travelling with an Italian passport when scanning machine revealed that he had ingested suspected substances.

Okafor ingested 55 wraps in anticipation of 2,800 Euros and was arrested during screening of KLM passengers, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the statement said that investigation into the illegal importation of 130 kilogrammes of drug from Iran through the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos was still on-going.