NDLEA arrests businessman with 700g cocaine ingested from Brazil

After 35 years in Brazil, businessman Ezeokoli Sylva, based in the South American country, has returned home with 700 grams of cocaine buried in his stomach. This was discovered following his arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Lagos International Airport.

A statement from the Director of Media and Advocacy for the NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, said the 59-year-old Ezeokoli was arrested on Friday at the E-Arrival hall of the Lagos airport upon his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil, on an Ethiopia Airlines flight via Addis Ababa.

When he was taken for a body scan, the result confirmed that the suspect had foreign objects concealed in his stomach. As a result, he was placed under excretion observation, during which he expelled 29 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine, weighing 700 grams.

In his statement, Babafemi said the suspect claimed he operates an African store in Brazil where he sells provisions, shoes, and clothes. He added that he bought the illicit consignment in Sao Paulo to resell in Nigeria to raise substantial capital to boost his business.

Meanwhile, NDLEA officers from the Directorate of Investigation and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted two consignments on November 26th containing cocaine and pentazocine injections destined for the United Kingdom via a courier company in Lagos. The cocaine, weighing 200 grams, was concealed in local fabrics, while 40 ampoules of pentazocine injection, weighing 110 grams, were hidden in cartons.

In Kano State, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives on Thursday arrested three suspects: Jamilu Adamu, Umar Musa, and Bunu Ali, with 2,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 3,135,000 Exol-5 pills at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria road.

No fewer than 2,120 kilograms of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis produced in Ghana, were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at Ilesan Beach, Lagos, on Thursday. A suspect, Onibogi Muftau, was arrested in connection with the seizure, while four vehicles that were to convey the shipments from the waterfront were also recovered.

This followed the seizure of 472 kg of the same psychoactive substance at Idi-Iroko, Imeko area of Ogun State, on November 25th.

In Edo State, two suspects, Monday Onyenemue and Evans Omogiede, were also arrested on Thursday with 185.6 kg of cannabis, and a Toyota Previa bus marked BEN 06XL, which was conveying the consignment, was recovered during an intelligence-led raid by NDLEA operatives at Ukuwague Street, Benin City.

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With the same vigour, the Agency’s commands and formations across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities over the past week.

While commending the officers and men of the various commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), said their operational successes, along with those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated.