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Two suspects in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have excreted 165 wraps of cocaine.
Spokesman of the agency Femi Babafemi said in a statement yesterday that Elvis Uche Iro, 53, and Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian, 42, were arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja.
He said the suspects expelled the drugs while under observation in the Agencyโs custody.
Babafemi said, โThe 53-year-old Elvis, who is a father of four children, hails from Abiriba, Ohafia local government area of Abia State. He was arrested on Saturday 19th March upon his arrival on board Ethiopian Airline flight from Addis-Ababa for ingesting 65 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.376kg.
โDuring preliminary interview, he claimed heโs an interior decorator but had to go into drug trafficking because he needed money to start a coffee business, take care of his family and stock his newly acquired shop with curtain materials/accessories in Lagos. He said he would have been paid $1,000 US dollars on successful delivery of the drug in Abuja.
โAnother passenger on the same flight, 42-year-old Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian was also arrested on arrival for ingesting 100 pellets of cocaine with a total weight of 2.243kg. Ikenna who hails from Ojoto, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State claims heโs a businessman dealing in baby wears before venturing into drug trafficking.
โDuring preliminary interview, he said he traveled to Addis Ababa on Thursday 17th March to buy the drug for $10,000 US dollars and returned on Saturday 19th March when he was arrested. He said he sold his land in his village and took loans from friends to be able to raise money to buy the drug. He claimed he had to go into drug to raise money for his business after being duped of Fifteen Thousand ($15,000) US dollars by his friend who lives in China.โ
Babafemi said in a related development, narcotic officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation (DOGI) also intercepted substantial quantities of Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Cannabis sativa packaged for export to Australia, China, Qatar, Ireland and Thailand through some courier companies in Lagos.
