The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Paris-bound businessman who excreted 111wraps of cocaine at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that the suspect, 48-year-old Emmanuel Orjinze, excreted the wraps after days of observation in the agency’s custody.

Mr Babafemi said Mr Orjinze, who also claimed to be a professional footballer in Europe, was arrested on Tuesday during the outward clearance of Air France flight AF 878 from Abuja to Paris, France.

“After a body scan confirmed he ingested illicit drugs, he was taken into custody, where he excreted a total of 111 pellets of cocaine.

“These pellets of cocaine weighed 1.603 kilogrammes and were for three days; the suspect claimed he does business in the maritime sector while still scouting for any European football club to engage him,“ he said.

Similarly, Mr Babafemi said NDLEA officers operating at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos, have dismantled another drug trafficking syndicate.

According to him, this followed an arrest of four members of the network and the seizure of a total of 8kg of methamphetamine and 7.60kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis imported from South Africa.

Mr Babafemi said the syndicate’s lid was blown off when an official within the airport system was intercepted with a backpack and a bag.

He said this was done at the airport’s departure hall, Terminal 1, by NDLEA officers with the support of Aviation Security officers on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

“A search of the bags led to the discovery of the illicit substances.

“A swift follow-up operation at the Ajao Estate area of Lagos led to the arrest of two other members of the syndicate: Chris Nwadozie and Chinedu Nwaosu.

“Further investigation led to the arrest of another member of the cartel working within the airport system on Saturday, May 25,“ he said.

In a related development, NDLEA operatives at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) export shed of the Lagos airport have arrested a freight agent, Mariam Sonubi.

Mr Babafemi said the suspect was arrested over her attempt to cargo eight parcels of cocaine weighing 2kg.

He said the drugs were concealed in three out of six paint buckets containing shea butter packaged for export to the United Kingdom on Wednesday, May 22.

In another part of Lagos, precisely at Igbo Elerin in Ojo Local Government Area, NDLEA officers on Tuesday arrested a suspect, Odumegwu Obijofor, for producing and distributing scoochies, a mixture of black currant and illicit drugs.

Mr Babafemi said no fewer than 2,480 litres of the new psychoactive substance were recovered from his clandestine factory when he was arrested.

Also, Mr Babafemi said one Ogar Emmanuel was arrested with 2.5kg of cannabis at Ukpada Utugwan village.

He said 29 sacks of the same substance weighing 290kg were recovered from the warehouse of another suspect, Usani Ikpi, who was currently at large.

“Three suspects, Sa’adu Sule, 23; Mukhtar Nura, 23; and Hamza Nura, 18, were nabbed at Jabiri Funtua, Katsina state on Friday.

“They were arrested with 129 blocks of cannabis weighing 70kg coming from Ogere, Ogun,“ he said.

NDLEA operatives arrested five suspects, including Ezekiel Munda, 30, and Sule Mustapha, 21, on Thursday during raids at Karu Abattoir, Jikwoyi, and Tora Bora hill area of FCT, Abuja.

Mr Babafemi said 95.01kg of cannabis and different quantities of opioids were recovered from them.

“In Edo, operatives arrested a physically-challenged notorious drug dealer, Zekere Sufianu, 45, at Auchi town on Wednesday.

“ At the time of his arrest, he was found with 751 grams of Loud, 178 grams of Tramadol and pills of swinol,“ he said.

(NAN)