A 30-year-old Italy-based businessman, Joseph Cyril, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu, for allegedly ingesting 98 wraps of cocaine.
Cyril was arrested on Sunday, August 2, during the outward clearance of passengers aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930, which was scheduled to travel to Italy via Addis Ababa and France.
Following his arrest at the airport’s departure hall, the suspect was placed under excretion observation, during which he expelled 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510kg.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Cyril had arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13 and allegedly ingested the drug at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, before travelling to Enugu to board his flight to Europe.
In his statement, the suspect said he had been doing business in Italy for several years before agreeing to traffic the consignment for €3,500.
He reportedly said he accepted the deal to raise funds to relocate to Germany, where his family is based.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos have foiled an attempt to export 25 pieces of phone chargers allegedly used to conceal illicit drugs to Saudi Arabia through a courier company.
In a separate operation on Monday, August 3, officers of the agency intercepted 500 grams of cocaine concealed in the false bottom of a backpack and destined for Italy through another logistics company.
The following day, Tuesday, August 4, NDLEA operatives also intercepted a consignment containing 2.3kg of Loud, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis, shipped from the United States through another logistics company in Lagos.
The agency said investigations into the seizures and arrests are ongoing.
