Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have apprehended Okonkwo Isaac Ekemezie, 51, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 36.850kg of narcotic drugs to South Africa.
The consignment was intercepted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja during the outward screening of an Ethiopian Airline flight.
The substances valued at N120 million were methamphetamine weighing 17.700kg and ephedrine weighing 19.150kg and they were said to have been hidden in his luggage.
Ekemezie, a Nigerian based in Johannesburg is a suspected member of a drug trafficking cartel in South Africa, Hamisu Lawan, NDLEA commander at the airport alleged.
A statement signed by Ofoyeju Mitchell, NDLEA’s head, public of affairs said the suspect who was apprehended on February 23 is now leading the agency’s narcotic investigators into ways to get other members of his group.
Ekemezie’s arrest came few days after one Ilo Chidera Alex was arrested with 15.850kg of cocaine concealed inside make-up brushes from Sao Paulo enroute Dubai, at the airport.
“Drug traffickers are always experimenting with new routes all in a bid to evade arrest by law enforcement officers. By our record at this airport, South Africa is not a common route for drug traffickers.
“Mr. Okonkwo Isaac Ekemezie is a suspected member of a drug trafficking cartel in South Africa where he lives. His mission was to come to Nigeria to facilitate the exportation of 36.850kg of narcotic drugs to South Africa. That criminal action was however aborted because of the vigilance of our officers” Hamisu said.
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