Enugu drug baron arrested at Lagos Airport

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested  one Enugu big boy; Onyeze Obiora with illicit drugs concealed in packs of air freshener.

The suspect was arrested at the SAHCO export shed of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Monday, March 20, 2023.

NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, March 26, said he was arrested in connection with the seizure of a cocaine consignment consisting 300g of raw cocaine and 200g of phenacetin, a chemical agent used to adulterate and increase the volume of cocaine, concealed in packs of air freshener, going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

Mr. Babafemi also stated that their operatives also arrested a businessman, Molokwu Nwachukwu, who frequents China, Dubai, Pakistan, and Vietnam, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos for concealing 36 parcels of cocaine in different parts of his check-in bags, hand luggage and two pairs of slippers, while heading to South-East Asia.

Molokwu’s arrest was effected on Wednesday, March 22, at the screening point of the MMIA Terminal 2, while he was attempting to board a flight to Vietnam.

During a search, 36 parcels of whitish powdery substance that tested positive to Cocaine with a gross weight of 1kg were recovered from the handles of his bags and soles of two pairs of slippers in his luggage, according to an official statement signed by the spokesperson for the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, which was obtained by our correspondent on Sunday.

Babafemi said, “A total of 36 parcels of whitish powdery substance that tested positive to Cocaine with a gross weight of 1kg were recovered from the handles of his bags and soles of two pairs of slippers in his luggage.

“The suspect claimed that he travelled frequently to China, Dubai, Pakistan and Vietnam, from where he imported baby wears he distributed from his Onitsha, Anambra State base.”

In the same vein, the NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport thwarted an attempt by a suspect, Chimezie Nwafor to export 2.10kg of methamphetamine concealed in 25 bars of local black soap called Dudu Osun and packaged in a carton to be exported to Brazil.

Meanwhile, follow up operations exposed three other suspects, Ifeanyi Onu, Simon Nwuzor and Omini Peter, who were linked to the consignment and were arrested at Oyingbo market, Yaba, Lagos.

Another bid by an intending passenger, Osasere MacDonald, attempting to export 500g of tramadol 225mg concealed inside a carton of indomie noodles to Reggio, Italy, on Tuesday, March 21, was equally frustrated by the NDLEA operatives who seized the drugs and arrested him.