Cocaine weighing 5.9kg has been abandoned by a suspected drug trafficking syndicate. The drug was detected by men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos. The drug which was hidden inside industrial equipment originated from Panama, Central America. The discovery was made as a suspected drug trafficker excreted 54 wraps of cocaine he ingested in Brazil.
NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr Hamza Umar said that the cocaine consignment was left unclaimed. “The luggage was imported from Panama. When nobody came forward to claim ownership, we invited other security agencies and carried out search. It was in the process of search that the cocaine was discovered inside industrial equipment. A 36 year old man, Onyema Watson Goodman Nnamdi was also apprehended in connection with the ingestion of 54 wraps of cocaine weighing 875 grammes. Both seizures weighed 6.775kg” Hamza stated.
The suspect said that he had wanted to get married with the sum of 4,000 dollars they promised to pay him. According to Onyema, “I have struggled in my life but I have nothing to show for it. I was in Cape Verde for six years before I went to Brazil in March 2013. My decision to smuggle drugs was to use the proceeds to marry and settle down”.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade promised to investigate the illegal shipment and expose those behind it. “Drug barons have no hiding place. This abandoned seizure is an indication that control measures are working and the country is winning the war on narcotics. This case shall be thoroughly investigated and those that are responsible will be exposed and brought to justice”. He urged members of the public to support the anti-narcotics campaign in the interest of humanity.
The suspect will soon be charged to court.
