Four suspected drug peddlers were nabbed by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu, for allegedly importating and exportating illicit drugs which tested positive for cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis with a total weight of 25.25kg.
Two of the drug suspects arrested, Okafor Chidimma Deborah, a 30-year-old professional dancer, was going to Malaysia with 3.450kg of amphetamine hidden in jeans trouser, while Utobo Prince Davies Chidiebere, 33-year-old trader was found with 17.800kg of cannabis hidden inside bitter leaf on his way to China.
The other two suspects were arrested on their way back from Brazil. They are; Nwachukwu Nwadi Victor, 45, found with 2.200kg of cocaine hidden inside a music player and Celestine Okoye Ugochukwu, 40, who hid 800 grammes of cocaine inside the handle of his luggage.
Confirming the arrest, the NDLEA commander at the Enugu Airport, Nsikak-Abasi Udoh, said the four suspects were arrested during routine checks at the airport.
According to Udoh,“Those arrested include a dancer, two traders and a factory worker. They were randomly intercepted during screening of an Ethiopian Airline flights. The suspects have provided us with useful information for further investigation. The command will charge them to court soon”.
During interrogation one of the suspect Deborah from Imo State said that she was promised the sum of 3,500 dollars.
“I am a dancer. I was broke and needed money. I have been approached on many occasions to smuggle drugs but I turned down the proposal. They paid my return ticket and offered me 3,500 dollars. The drug was concealed in jeans trousers. I thought that I could earn some quick money in few days,” Deborah stated.
Another drug peddler, Utobo Prince Davies Chidebere from Ebony state, said that he needed money to ship his goods from China to Nigeria. “I am a trader, I bought some goods but I have no money for the shipment. A friend in China told me that if I can smuggle cannabis to China, I can earn good money for the shipment of my goods and extra money for myself. I never knew that they will detect the drug because it was carefully hidden” he said.
Nwachukwu Nwadi Victor from Anambra and a factory worker in Brazil, said that he bought drugs for ten thousand dollars in Brazil. “I am a factory worker in Brazil. I had family problem in Nigeria to settle so I decided to buy cocaine with 10,000 dollars. I would have made over 300 percent profits if I had succeeded in bringing the drugs. The drug was packed inside a music player, yet the officers detected it,” Nwachukwu stated.
Celestine Okoye Ugochukwu also from Anambra said, “I smuggled drugs because I needed money. The drug was hidden in the handle of my luggage. I am just unfortunate because I had a good plan. I do not know what went wrong but such is life” he said.
NDLEA chairman/chief executive, Ahmadu Giade, called on stakeholders to treat drug control programmes with more seriousness as involves life.
“Let me make a passionate appeal to stakeholders to give priority attention to drug control because it has to do with life and death. The two suspects going to China and Malaysia would have died prematurely if not for the vigilance of officers. Besides, the lives of addicts who use the drugs are also endangered,” he state.
