Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have thwarted an attempt by a businessman, Olisaka Chibuzo Calistus, to smuggle 256 wraps of cocaine weighing 6kgs into the country through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, for re-export.
The seizure, which is the single largest interception of cocaine at the Kano airport since the creation of MAKIA Command of NDLEA in 2006, was made on December 15, 2024, during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 941 from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in a statement said Olisaka, who claims to be in the import and export business, was subjected to body screening during which he was found to have packed hundreds of cocaine pellets in his body.
A similar attempt by an ex-convict, Olanrewaju Bada Akorede, to export a consignment of Rohypnol to South Africa through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, was equally frustrated by NDLEA officers at the airport.
The consignment was hidden in a cargo containing garri, shoes, men’s singlets and other items.
“Olarenwaju was convicted for a similar crime earlier this year following his arrest on 12th December 2023 for attempting to ship 4.90kgs tramadol and 2.10kgs Rohypnol to South Africa through the export shed of the Lagos airport.
“He was sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos with an option to pay a fine of N900,000, which he paid and was freed before returning to repeat the same crime,” Babafemi said.
Also, an Italy-based businesswoman Cynthia Akaeen, was on Wednesday, December 18, arrested by NDLEA officers while trying to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy via Addis Ababa.
The suspect was intercepted at the departure point of terminal 2 of the Lagos airport during an outward clearance of passengers going to Italy.
A total of 9,190 tablets of various brands of tramadol weighing 6.00kgs were recovered from her.
According to her, she was promised 1,000 euros upon successful delivery of the consignment in Italy.
By Abbas Jimoh @DailyTrust
