Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 62 year old Lagos based businessman, Nwabueze Izueke, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State for attempting to smuggle cocaine to China.
According to the agency, Izueke was intercepted during the outward clearance of passengers traveling to China through Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. A routine body scan conducted by NDLEA officers confirmed that the suspect had ingested illicit drugs. He was subsequently placed under observation, during which he expelled a total of 95 jumbo sized wraps of cocaine weighing 1.589 kilograms in seven excretions.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that Izueke claimed to be involved in clothing and auto spare parts business in Lagos. In his statement to investigators, the suspect admitted that he resorted to drug trafficking in order to raise money to complete a house he was building in his village, Iwollo, Enugu State.
The arrest forms part of a broader nationwide operation by the NDLEA that led to several drug seizures and arrests across different states. In Abuja, operatives recovered 627.7 kilograms of skunk from a makeshift warehouse in Kubwa and foiled attempts to smuggle methamphetamine concealed in MP3 speakers from Enugu to Abuja and Kaduna. Four suspects were arrested in connection with the operation.
Further seizures were recorded in Taraba, Oyo, Kwara, Imo, Ondo, Lagos, and Enugu States. These operations led to the recovery of large quantities of tramadol, skunk, methamphetamine, and other illicit substances. In Ibadan, NDLEA officers uncovered drugs concealed in rice shafts and dismantled a facility producing synthetic cannabis, arresting key suspects and seizing vehicles and cash.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying efforts against drug trafficking and urged the public to support the fight against illicit drugs.
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