Attempt by a 27 year old student, Chukwu Ramseyn Onyekaozuru to smuggle 5.300kg of cannabis and 660 gramnmes of heroin to Rome, Italy has been aborted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The drugs were detected during the outward screening of Alitalia passengers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos. The parcels of cannabis were covered with dried bitter leaf vegetables inside a bag while the heroin was ingested by the suspect.
The suspect claimed to be a Philosophy student at Ebonyi State University. “I studied Philosophy at Ebonyi State University where I graduated in 2009 with three referrals. I later travelled to Italy and came to write the three courses. As a result of my long stay in the country, I was broke and needed money to buy my ticket to Italy and settle other family expenses. In the process of looking for money, I was introduced to the drug baron who bought my ticket and gave me one thousand Euros. I accepted the money because I was practically stranded after my exams” the suspect stated.
NDLEA Airport Commander Hamza Umar said that the arrest is one of the few cases of poly-drug trafficking made by the command. “Most traffickers smuggle only one drug at a time. This case is one of the few poly-drug trafficking cases recorded by the command since January. The suspect had 5.300kg of cannabis packed in vegetables and other food ingredients. He also ingested 660 grammes of heroin. It is an interesting case and we have made significant progress in our investigations” Hamza stated.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade in his response reiterated the need for people to shun drug trafficking. In his words, “people who wish to successfully pursue their legitimate aspirations must shun drug trafficking and abuse. It is better to learn from the mistakes of others by avoiding drug trafficking and abuse. Rather than going to prison on account of drug trafficking or undergoing drug abuse treatment, people can simply prevent it by resisting drug barons”.
The suspect hails from Enugu State. He attended Community Primary and Secondary School Effium, Abakaliki. He will soon be charged to court.
