NDLEA Intercepts Businessman With Large Consignments Of Cocaine At Enugu Airport

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on Saturday 9th December 2023 intercepted at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu, twelve (12) consignments of cocaine belonging to members of a Drug Trafficking Organisation.

A businessman, Augustine Justine Emeka, 44, who claims he deals in copper wire was arrested at the airport upon his arrival from Douala, Cameroon via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopia airline with the 12 consignments consisting of seven hundred and ninety-seven (797) pellets of cocaine weighing 17.6 kilograms.

During preliminary interview, the suspect admitted the cocaine consignments were for delivery to 12 different persons in the country, according to a statement by the NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

In a related development, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos on Friday 8th December arrested a fleeing suspect, Onyejiuwa Prince Ifeanyi, who has gone into hiding since 8th September following the seizure of a United Kingdom bound 20kg cannabis consignment concealed in tomato pastes tins at the SAHCO shed linked to him.

On Sunday 3rd December, operatives in Anambra state intercepted a truck marked BEN 302 YS (Edo) and after a search, 5,612 bottles of codeine-based syrup; 57,800 capsules of tramadol and 5,100 ampoules of pentazocine injection, among others were recovered.

The driver, Ambrose Oyamedan, conductors – Samuel Otejere and Obey Jonathan as well as the truck were taken into custody for further investigation. Two ladies:  Chiemenam Akusoba, 25, and Chidinma Ibenwa, 28, were also arrested on Saturday 9th December with 15.8503kg of Cocaine,  Heroin, Methamphetamine and  Cannabis sativa in Umuogbu, Nnobi and Onitsha respectively.

While commending the officers and men of the AIIA, MMIA, Katsina, Anambra, Kaduna, Kogi, Borno, Ondo, and FCT Commands as well as those of Seaports Operations for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) urged them and their compatriots across all formations of the Agency to maintain the offensive action tempo while creating a balance with their drug demand reduction efforts.