Operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 74-year-old man at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after discovering 11 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in his luggage.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to a statement issued by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the suspect identified as Ikwuakalom Nwakoro Emeka was apprehended at the airport’s departure hall while attempting to board a British Airways flight to London.
Babafemi said the suspect claimed he was travelling to the United Kingdom for a vacation, but a routine search of his luggage uncovered blocks of cocaine weighing about 11kg.
The drugs were reportedly hidden inside food items, including ground dry pepper, and wrapped in foil papers and balloons in an attempt to evade detection.
The agency said the arrest was part of a series of operations carried out across the country in recent days as it intensifies efforts to clamp down on drug trafficking.
NDLEA officials also disclosed that other suspects were arrested in different states including Lagos, Kano and the federal capital territory during separate operations where officers recovered cocaine, tramadol and skunk.
The chairman of the agency, Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations and urged commands across the country to sustain the fight against the supply and demand of illicit drugs.
