DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ARRESTS 40, IMPOUNDS 98.223 KILOS OF DRUGS IN 6 MONTHS

Lagos

The Zonal Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),
Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Alhaji Abdullahi
Danburam, Friday revealed that his agency has apprehended no fewer than 40
suspects of drug trafficking and impounded 98.223 kilogrammes of various
types of hard drugs, even as the agency paraded nine more culprits.

Parading the most recent suspects on the Agency' net, Danburam said his men
have been able to break into a syndicate that speciaiises in smuggling hard
drugs through transnational borders in large quantity into Nigeria.

"Everyday for the thief, one day for the owner of the house, we have been
able to break into a syndicate that speciaiises in smuggling hard drugs
through transnational borders in large quantity into Nigeria. This gang
specialises in smuggling hard drugs from countries in Asia and Latin
America such as Cambodia, Thailand, Ecuador and Colombia into countries in
West Coast of Africa namely Guinea, Cote D'voire and Senegal. Thereafter,
these couriers who usually use multiple passports of different countries
changes their identity and mode of concealment to beat intelligence on hand
and trailing when bringing the drugs in to Nigeria", he further noted.

Those paraded yesterday include Chidaka Kenneth Williams, a.k.a. Camara
Boubacar, Basil Amadi, Abike Simiat Bello, Osiri Joseph Amaxie, Bosede
Toluhi, Shittu Olalekan and Agu Humphrey Ugwhukwu.

The Agency equally presented a pathetic case of one Alli Oluwaseun Ademola,
20 years of age, who was arrested on the June 13.

Ademola, who is a Geology student of the University of Ibadan, was said to
have collapsed at the entrance of the departure hall of the airport and
excreted a total drug of 60 wraps of Cocaine weighing 660 grammes.

He was to have been introduced into the illicit business by one Ayo who has
traveled abroad. He said Ayo lured him to a hotel at Coker and later an
apartment in Oworonshoki area of Lagos where a woman gave him the drugs.

The agency explained that between January and June 2003, it has arrested
forty (40) drug suspects and seized 98.223kg of various types of hard drugs
compared to arrest of twentythree