NDLEA intercepts 834.5kg khat leaf heading to US, UK, others
Barely two weeks after a Spain-bound drug mule, Okonkwo Chimezie Henry, excreted 113 wraps of cocaine after his arrest at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), two others have excreted a total of 191 pellets of heroin and cocaine while under observation at the same airport.
On April 10, during the outward screening of passengers on Ethiopian airline to Italy, NDLEA operatives at MMIA intercepted and referred one Chukwudi Destiny for scanning and the scan result proved positive to drug ingestion. Consequently, he was placed under excretion observation, and in the process, he excreted 92 pellets of heroin with a total weight of 1.300Kg.
Also on April 12, during the inbound examination of consignments on Ethiopian Airline cargo flight from South Africa, operatives at SAHCO import shed made a seizure of 11.550kg of heroin concealed in corn flakes cartons. Four clearing agents are in custody in connection to the seizure.
According to the Commander, MMIA Command of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Garba, “a sting operation was executed on the address provided by one of the suspects.”
In the process, a Congolese, Kayembe Kamba Mazepy, was arrested. After his arrest, he mentioned another person who was to receive the parcel from him.
On the strength of the information, another sting operation was conducted in the early hours of Saturday, April 17, where the person that came to take delivery was arrested.
In the same vein, on Friday, April 16, another trafficker, Ezekiel Chibuzo, who arrived in Lagos from Brazil on board Qatar Airline, was also arrested for drug ingestion. He has so far excreted 99 wraps of cocaine.
This is just as officers at export shed of the airport have seized 822.950kg of khat leaves heading to the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA).
Khat is a leafy green plant containing two main stimulants, with potency to speed up mind and body.
Khat can cause many side effects, including mood changes, increased alertness, excessive talkativeness, hyperactivity, excitement, aggressiveness, anxiety, elevated blood pressure, manic behavior, paranoia and psychoses.
Reacting to the latest drug haul at the airport, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, General Mohammed Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the MMIA command for their commitment to the nation’s crusade against illicit drugs.
“While I commend the officers and men of our MMIA command, let me again warn unrepentant barons and traffickers that the game is up for them because we’ll continue to disrupt their criminal trade as part of efforts to secure our country and protect the future of our youths,” Marwa said on Sunday.
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