Plumber Held Over Ingestion Of 57 Wraps of Cocaine

A plumber, Ogu Okechukwu, has been apprehended by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, for the importation of 945grammes of cocaine.

In a statement by the NDLEA Head of Public Affairs, Mitchell Ofoyeju, on Thursday, Okechukwu was said to have ingested 57 wraps of cocaine which was detected at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The suspect, who was on his way back from Brazil, was arrested during the inward screening of passengers on an Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi.

The NDLEA Airport Commander, Hamza Umar, said the cocaine wraps were packed into male condoms.

He said, “Okechukwu excreted 57 wraps of powdery cocaine packed inside male condoms and sealed with cello-tape.

“It is a dangerous practice because many drug traffickers have died as a result of leakage in such wraps of narcotics.”

The suspect in his confessional statement claimed he was lured into drug trafficking because of his inability to pay his rent of N150,000.

Okechukwu said, “I am a plumber. I am married with two children and my wife just delivered our second baby. I had no money to pay my rent of N150,000.

“I was introduced to drug trafficking in my search for funds; I was to get N300,000 to bring the drug from Brazil. My travel expenses were sponsored.

“While in Brazil, I was given 100 wraps of drugs to swallow but I could only take 57 because it was my first time and it was not easy to ingest. I am unhappy that I involved myself in this.”

NDLEA Chairman, Mr. Ahmadu Giade, advised members of the public to avoid crime and promote societal peace.

He said, “I call on members of the public to shun criminal acts such as drug trafficking and money laundering.

“The NDLEA will continue to adopt measures aimed at frustrating the activities of drug syndicates in the country. In addition to arrest, drug traffickers shall be diligently prosecuted and made to forfeit all ill-gotten proceeds of drugs.

“No drug trafficker shall go unpunished. The suspect will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.”