NDLEA foils cocaine tr@fficking ring: Businessman arrested at Enugu airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) made a significant breakthrough as its operatives intercepted a substantial cocaine consignment at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu. The arrest targeted a businessman, Augustine Justine Emeka, aged 44, who purportedly dealt in copper wire but was found in possession of 797 pellets of cocaine, weighing 17.6 kilograms, upon his arrival from Douala, Cameroon.

During preliminary questioning, Emeka admitted that the cocaine consignments were intended for delivery to 12 different individuals within the country. Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, disclosed this information on Sunday.

In a related development, the agency apprehended a fleeing suspect, Onyejiuwa Prince Ifeanyi, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on December 8th. Ifeanyi had been in hiding since September 8th following the seizure of a 20kg cannabis consignment bound for the United Kingdom.

NDLEA operatives also made significant arrests in different parts of the country. In Katsina State, a pre-wedding ceremony turned into a drug abuse competition, resulting in the arrest of 25 youths. In Anambra State, a truck carrying 5,612 bottles of codeine-based syrup, 57,800 capsules of tramadol, and 5,100 ampoules of pentazocine injection was intercepted. Additionally, two individuals were arrested with 15.8503kg of various illicit substances in Umuogbu, Nnobi, and Onitsha.

The NDLEA’s Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers for their efforts, urging them to maintain the momentum in tackling drug trafficking while emphasizing the importance of drug demand reduction initiatives.