The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 38-year old man, Jude Izuchukwu, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos while trying to smuggle a 9.375kg of compressed cannabis concealed in dried fish, dried bitter leaf, crayfish, melon and other local food spices out of the country on Monday, May 5, 2014.
The suspect was arrested by the NDLEA officials while attempting to board an Ethiopian flight to China.
The NDLEA Airport Commander, Hamza Umar disclosed that the illicit drugs was discovered when the suspect came to register his luggage at the airport before take-off.
“Officers detected the drug when the suspect, Izuchukwu, came to check in his luggage on his way to China. The cannabis was concealed in dried fish, dried bitter leaf, crayfish, melon and other local food spices. The weight of the cannabis is 9.375kg,” Umar said.
The suspect confessed to buying the drugs for N104, ooo and also claimed he was forced into doing drug business as a result of the hard conditions he had faced after being duped of N5m.
The Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, said the suspect’s reason for engaging in drug trafficking was unfounded as somebody who could afford a return ticket and buy drugs worth N100,000 is not a pauper.
He said he was glad that the suspect was arrested in Nigeria, adding that he might have faced the death penalty if he was arrested in China.
