Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA) detected parcels of cocaine hidden inside the sole of shoes at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA)
Lagos.
The consignment of shoes where the cocaine was discovered was said to
have originated from Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The owner of the luggage have
been arrested while two other suspected drug traffickers that tested
positive and excreted narcotic are also being investigated. A white
powdery substance found to be cocaine with a total weight of 3.950kgs
were seized from the suspects.
NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Ahmadu Garuba said that one of
the suspects concealed the drugs inside shoe soles while the remaining
two ingested wraps of cocaine. In his words,
"Three suspects have been
arrested with a total of 3.950kgs of cocaine. They are Mbatugosi Paul
Ifechukwu, 32 year old caught with 1.950kgs of cocaine hidden inside
shoe soles, Adugba Ugochukwu Godson, 34 year old who ingested 1.50kgs of
cocaine on his way to Sydney, Australia and Onuoha Friday Dominic, 42
year old found to have ingested 850 grammes of cocaine from Brazil. The
cases are under investigation and will be charged to court soon".
Mbatugosi Paul Ifechukwu who used to sell shoes at Enugu said that he
was introduced into drug trafficking by a friend he met in Brazil.
"After my graduation from Technical College in my home town Ihiala,
Anambra State in 2002; I went to Enugu where I was selling shoes. In
2015, I travelled to Brazil in search of better opportunities. However,
while in Brazil, I worked as a barber to earn a living. After a year and
three months in Brazil, I was disappointed because I had no savings, so
I decided that I will get some money and be exporting shoes to Nigeria.
It was in the process of looking for a start-up capital that a friend
introduced me into drug trafficking. My friend bought the shoes and
prepared the drugs inside 13 pairs. This is my first time and I was
caught" Mbatugosi stated.
The second suspect, Adugba Ugochukwu Godson who ingested 1.150kgs of
cocaine said that he wanted to visit his wife in Sydney, Australia when
he was caught.
"I was travelling to visit my wife who lives in Australia
when a friend introduced me to drug trafficking. Initially, I told
turned down the idea because I never wanted anything that will tarnish
my reputation. He later convinced me that I will never be caught and
also promised me the sum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000). This was
how I fell for him and found myself in this mess" Adugba who hails from
Abia State stated.
Onuoha Friday Dominic was found to have ingested 850 grammes of
cocaine equally blamed his involvement on friends. He travelled to
Brazil in search of job opportunities but was unable to get job
satisfaction.
"I was not satisfied working as an event planner in Brazil
because the salary was just for subsistence living. After paying my
bills, there was little or nothing left. That was how I was introduced
into drug trafficking. My friend said that the only way to make quick
money is through drug trafficking. He promised to pay me $15,000 and I
agreed to swallow the drugs" Onuoha stated. He hails from Abia State.
In his reaction, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Col.
Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) expressed satisfaction with the
arrests.
"Every arrest and seizure of drugs is a victory over drug
syndicates. The NDLEA will continue to consolidate on the operational
successes so far recorded by maintaining vigilance at all entry and exit
points. This will be complimented with public awareness programmes on
illegal drug production, trafficking and use aimed at reducing demand
for drugs" Abdallah stated.
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