• Spain- based designer also nabbed
A Tanzania- based Nigerian Footballer, Mr. Seriki Muktar Adebayo , who was arrested for drug trafficking by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA ), yesterday , said he had no choice than to embrace drug trafficking. Adebayo, 26, was nabbed with 2.070 kgs of heroin onboard an Ethiopian Airline flight from Mozambique. He said: “After a fruitless search for a football club in Tanzania for some months, I moved to Mozambique. Still, I could not secure a club .
In the process, I exhausted my money and was stranded. I was so disappointed and frustrated that I needed to return home. At that point, I had no choice than to agree to smuggle drugs. I regret my action.”
Also arrested alongside Adebayo was Rita Godfrey, 46. She collected 1.525 kgs of cocaine while at the airport in Dubai, on her way from Spain. The wraps of cocaine were packed inside duty- free polythene bag. She was intercepted during inward screening of passengers, on an Emirate flight from Dubai. Rita said that she was promised N500,000 to smuggle the drugs from Dubai.
She added: “I’ m a trainee fashion designer living in Spain. I had financial problem and was introduced into drug trafficking by a friend. They told me that somebody would give me the drug while on transit in Dubai. While at the airport, a man approached me and asked if I was Rita. He introduced himself; he said he was from my friend and gave me the drug in a duty free bag.
I was surprised when the drug was discovered here because it was not hidden at all. I never checked it. I just kept it in my bag the way it was given to me. ”
The Chairman of NDLEA, Colonel Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd.), promised to dismantle drug syndicates in the country. Abdallah gave the assurance as the Agency released its scorecard at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos between January and June 2016.
He said that 63 suspected drug traffickers were arrested with 484.11kgs of drugs. Suspected drug barons also abandoned 336.090kgs of the seized drugs. Abdallah said that Nigeria would continue to subscribe to the principle of shared responsibility and international collaboration in dismantling drug cartels .
He added: “The Agency is maximising the benefits of Airport Communication Programme (AIRCOP) by coordinating joint international operations. We will continue to build capacity in risk analysis, drug detection methodology and tracing of illicit drug proceeds.
This is aimed at identifying and dismantling criminal networks. ” The NDLEA boss noted that the Agency reacted swiftly to new tactics of drug trafficking by intercepting 22.530 kgs of drugs originating from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“As an intelligencedriven Agency, we realised the sudden use of Dubai as a transit point for cocaine originating from South America and successfully arrested 13 suspects with 22.530 kgs of cocaine coming from Dubai,” said Abdallah.
According to the airport commander, Mr . Ahmadu Garba , those arrested include 46 males and 17 females. The breakdown of drugs are as follows; Cocaine, 35kgs , Heroin 8.460 kg , Methamphetamine 54 . 4 kg, Ephedrine 6.120 kg, Cannabis 5.470 kg and Psychotropic substances 374.630 kg.
Twenty suspects were nabbed attempting to export drugs while 25 were caught importing drugs into the country.
Eighteen suspects were apprehended during follow- up operations. Ten suspected traffickers were caught importing 7.695 kgs of cocaine from Brazil while 13 other suspects were arrested with 22.530 kgs of cocaine from Dubai . The three abandoned seizures include 25kgs of methamphetamine going to South Africa, 311kgs of tramadol originating from India and 0.090 grammes of cocaine from Brazil.
0 comments :
Post a Comment