Iran-bound Businessman Nabbed for ‘Ingesting 53 Wraps of Cocaine’

By Friday Obande 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) has arrested a 44-year old man, Chukwuebuka Christian, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, for “ingesting 53 wraps of cocaine” while on his way to Iran.

The statement was made by the agency’s Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, who said Christian was arrested at the Port Harcourt Airport on June 7 while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight QR1434 to Tehran Khomeini in Iran, via Doha.

In part it read, “After a body scan proved positive to ingestion of illicit drugs, he was placed on excretion observation during which he expelled 53 wraps of cocaine in six excretions with a total weight of 1.172kg,” the statement reads.

“The suspect claimed to have gone into the criminal trade two years ago, moving between the West African sub-region and Iran.”

The statement further noted that on June 14, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos, also intercepted Edobor Ambrose Ali, an Italy bound passenger on an Air France flight.

“The NDLEA officers in collaboration with the Aviation Security of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), discovered drug consignments hidden in the luggage of the suspect during baggage scanning at the tarmac,” the statement reads.

“The suspect was thereafter brought down from the aircraft for baggage identification, after which a thorough search of the bag led to the discovery of 14,410 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg concealed in winter jackets.

“In his statement, Ebodor said he lives in Italy, where he was hired and sent on an all-expense-paid trip to Nigeria to courier the drug consignments to Milan, Italy, for a fee of 2000 Euros.

“At the Port Harcourt ports in Onne, Rivers state, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 13th June, intercepted a shipment of 157,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth over N1.1 billion in street value, during a joint examination of a watch-listed container with men of the Customs Service and other security agencies.

“The opioid consignments were hidden behind 257 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares.”