3 Arrested At Lagos Airport For Swallowing 233 Wraps Of Cocaine (Photo)

Three suspected drug traffickers have
been nabbed at the Murtala
Mohammed International Airport
(MMIA), Lagos State,after swallowing
233 wraps of powdery substances that
tested positive for cocaine with a
weight of 5.05 kilogrammes.
According to the Nigerian Tribune,
the suspects were apprehended
during an outward screening of
passengers by officials of the National
Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA)
Two of the suspects, Obiekwe Frank
Chuma and Okoye Jacob
Okwuchukwu, were going to Hong
Kong while Chukwunyere Prince
Emmanuel was caught on his way to
Italy.
Obiekwe Frank Chuma, who said that
he used to be a textile merchant
before he suffered financial setback,
declared:
“I lost my father when I was at
Merchant of Light Secondary School
between 1983 and 1988. I was given
admission at Edo State University but
dropped out in 300 level due to lack
of sponsorship.
“In 1997, I came to Lagos and started
textile business. Later, I began to buy
my goods from Czech Republic and
Hong Kong before my business
suffered setback. In the process of
looking for assistance, I was
introduced into drug trafficking. I was
given the drug in a restaurant in
Onitsha and they promised to pay me
$10,000. It took me eight hours to
swallow the drugs but I was arrested
at the airport.”
Okoye Jacobs Okuchukwu said that he
met his sponsor at a wedding
ceremony.
“I have a Diploma in Computer
Science at the Institute of
Management Technology (IMT)
Enugu. I used to import textiles from
Dubai and Hong Kong. My business
was flourishing and I have travelled
to Hong Kong over 15 times. I later
had problem that took my capital and
I was stranded. That was what led me
into drug trafficking.
“I was forced to swallow drugs for
many hours in order to continue with
my textile business. They promised to
pay me over one million naira.”
Chukwunyere Prince Emmanuel said
that he smuggled drugs to settle his
bills.
“I am a businessman. I supply
teaching materials. Armed robbers
attacked me and I lost one of my eyes
in the process. As I speak, I owe over
N15 million.
I am unable to pay my rent, my
children’s school fees and even
feeding. I have no rest of mind
because my creditors are on my neck
daily.
This is my first time of trafficking
drugs and I was promised 4,000
euros.”
NDLEA commander at the Lagos
Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, who gave a
breakdown of the seized drugs,
declared;
“Obiekwe Frank Chuma, 47 years old,
ingested 80 wraps weighing 1.930
kilogrammes during screening of
Emirates passengers; Okoye Jacob
Okwuchukwu, 43 years old, was found
to have ingested 70 wraps weighing
1.515 kilogrammes during screening
of passengers on an Etihad flight
while Chukwunyere Prince
Emmanuel, 39 years old, ingested 83
wraps weighing 1.605 kilogrammes.
“Emmanuel was going to Bologna in
Italy through Frankfurt on Lufthansa.
They have voluntarily recorded their
statements and our investigators are
working on their cases.”