Drug smugglers have abandoned 6.155 kg of heroin at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.
The banned drug which originated from Pakistan was left unclaimed on the conveyor belt at the arrival hall during the inward screening of passengers on Etihad Airways flight, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said.
NDLEA commander at the airport, Ahmadu Garba said that the abandoned heroin was hidden inside a bag of clothes.
Two suspected drug traffickers were also apprehended at the airport while attempting to smuggle 2.035kg of cocaine concealed in cassava flour to Nairobi, Kenya and 2.485kg of cannabis to Qatar.
Oluwasheto Abiodun, a 39-year-old electrician was found in possession of 2.035kg of cocaine while Ibe Divine, 33-year-old welder was caught with 2.485kg of cannabis. Both cases are currently under investigation,” he stated.
Oluwasheto told officials that he was asked to send the drug to Nairobi by his childhood friend. “I am an electrician based in Lagos. My childhood friend asked me to buy perfumes, sunglasses and shirts for him. After I bought the items, he then called that somebody will give me cassava flour to add and send to Nairobi in Kenya.
However, during the search operation at the airport, two parcels of cocaine weighing 2.035 was hidden inside the flour. This was what led to my arrest. I was only given the sum of three hundred thousand Naira (N300,000) to buy the items, but my action has led me to detention,” Oluwasheto who is a single parent lamented. He hails from Ondo State.
The second suspect, Ibe Divine who is a welder said in his statement that he wanted to sell the cannabis in Qatar for a high profit.
“I am a welder but I have been working in Qatar as a labourer. I bought the cannabis for fifteen thousand Naira (N15,000) in Nigeria with the intention of making a very high profit from it in Doha. In all l had ten parcels of cannabis hidden inside jeans trousers in my luggage. During the search of my luggage, I was arrested after the drug was detected” he stated. Ibe is married with two children and hails from Imo State.
