NDLEA Intercepts N8bn Cocaine At Lagos Airport

A Brazil based suspected drug kingpin has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) who also intercepted 36 blocks of cocaine, weighing 27.95 kilogrammes with a street value of over N8bn at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The suspect, Ejiofor Felix Enwereaku, was arrested at the airport on Friday 14 May 2021 “for importing 27.95kg of cocaine using their organised criminal gang, which specialises in tagging/planting drugs in innocent travellers’ luggage.”

Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that based on intelligence, narcotic agents at the MMIA on Saturday 8 May 2021 intercepted a bag that arrived the Lagos airport from GRU, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the Ethiopian airline with baggage tag No- ET331199 but was disclaimed by an arriving passenger on the flight.

The disclaimed bag was promptly secured by NDLEA operatives for investigation.

“On Sunday, 9 May 2021, a man came to the airport to make inquiry on how to get the disclaimed bag released, he was promptly arrested for investigation.

“The disclaimed bag was opened in the presence of the arriving passenger and the man who came to negotiate the release of the disputed bag. When it was opened, it was found that the bag contained 36 blocks of cocaine, weighing 27.95kg.

“A follow up sting operation was carried out, which led to the arrest of Ejiofor Felix Enwereaku, the prime suspect, on Friday 14 May upon his arrival from Addis Ababa onboard Ethiopian airline.

“During preliminary interrogation after his arrest, he confessed to have been contracted by his Ethiopian associate who is a notorious drug baron to claim and push out the consignment in Lagos, Nigeria.

“He further admitted to have paid the $24,500 bribe in three tranches to compromise NDLEA officers. The first was $10,000 delivered through his representative in Lagos and another $10, 000 via his First Bank account while the third tranche of $4,500 was paid at the point of his arrest,” Babafemi said.

He added that the drug kingpin group is suspected to be responsible for recruiting traffickers to move illicit drugs to various destinations using Nigeria as their transit location and also planting drugs in the luggage of innocent travelers.