The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday said it had arrested 14 suspected drug traffickers with 33.65kg of narcotic drugs valued at N300 million. This was disclosed by the agency’s spokesman, Mr Mitchel Ofoyeju, in a statement in Lagos. Ofoyeju said the suspects, who were between the age of between 25 and 48, were arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. “Eight of the suspects were caught trying to smuggle cocaine into the country from Brazil and Argentina, while six others were intercepted on their way to Hong Kong, Dubai, Italy and Brazil.”
He said four of the suspects were apprehended in one flight, Royal Air Maroc, on their way from Brazil, adding, “some of the seized drugs were dissolved in water and absorbed in two towels and a T-shirt. “Others were industrially packed in tins and body cream packs, while some of the suspects swallowed the drugs.
“The estimated value of the seized drugs is about N300 million,” he said. Ofoyeju said the Chairman of the agency, Ahmadu Giade, had described the arrests and seizures as a good omen for the nation’s drive to fight drug trafficking.