NDLEA apprehend two for smuggling drug to US, Doha

A 59 year-old contractor, Okechukwu Joseph, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for ingesting heroin, which he was smuggling to New York.

Also arrested is a 41 year-old safety officer, Nnaji Austine, who was exporting Cannabis and Tramadol to Qatar.

According to a statement by the spokesperson of the NDLEA, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, Joseph was arrested during the outward screening of passengers on a Turkish airline flight to New York while Austine was arrested as he tried to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Doha.

NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba, was quoted as saying that Okechukwu, who was put under observation, later excreted 1.105kg of heroin.

Austine on the other hand, reportedly concealed 11.54kg of cannabis and 490g of Tramadol in his luggage.

The suspects are currently being investigated by a team of narcotic officers.

Joseph, an Imo State indigene living in Surulere, Lagos, said he turned to drug smuggling because he was hugely indebted.

But Austine, an Enugu State indigene, told the NDLEA that the luggage did not belong to him. He said he was helping his friend out.

He said, “l work as a safety officer in Qatar and I came to Nigeria to see my parents and make arrangements for my marriage.

“My friend in Qatar called me and asked me to bring some foodstuff to him. When the bag was given to me at the airport, I almost rejected it because it was too heavy. Unfortunately, it contained drugs which were detected by officers.”

The Chairman of the NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Abdallah (retd.), said that the agency had perfected strategies to detect hidden drugs, adding that the suspects would be charged to court soon.

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