NDLEA apprehends Europe-bound teenager with drugs at Abuja Airport

Akinwande Soji-Ojo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 19-year-old student, Benjamin Nnamani Daberechi for attempting to export 7.2 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in crayfish to Europe where he was going for undergraduate studies.

A statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, said the teenage suspect was intercepted on Wednesday July 12, during an outward clearance of passengers on Turkish Airlines flight TK 0624, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

“While being interviewed by operatives, Daberechi claimed he was a student on his way to Cyprus for studies, but upon a thorough search of his luggage, he was found in possession of 7.2kg of whitish substance neatly concealed inside a sack of crayfish.

“A field test of the substance however proved positive to Methamphetamine,” Babafemi said.

Also, operatives of the Tincan Port command of the agency on Tuesday, July 11, intercepted 116.5kg consignment of Colorado, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in bags hidden in a heap of used vehicles parts on the floor of a container marked FCIU 8459700, bearing three units of used vehicles imported from Toronto, Canada.

Babafemi said a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs, DSS and other stakeholders, however, led to the discovery of 233 parcels of the illicit substance stashed inside travelling bags on the floor of the container, covered with used vehicles spare parts.

Also a female lawyer based on Lekki, Lagos State, Ebikpolade Helen, who specialises in production and distribution of skuchies, a mixture of cannabis, opioids and black currant was arrested in a follow up operation in Awka, Anambra State, following an earlier seizure of 5kg cannabis and 12 bottles of prepared skuchies in her apartment at Lekki.