How we uncovered cocaine concealed in air fresheners, black soap — NDLEA

By Sodiq Adelakun

Members of The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered cocaine concealed in air fresheners, black soap, and sandals.

The journey to the discoveries started after operatives arrested a businessman, Molokwu Nwachukwu, who frequents China, Dubai, Pakistan, and Vietnam, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.

He was arrested at the screening point of the MMIA Terminal 2 while attempting to board his flight to Vietnam on Wednesday 22nd March.

A total of thirty-six (36) parcels of whitish powdery substance that tested positive for Cocaine with a gross weight of 1.00 kilogram were recovered from the handles of his bags and soles of two pairs of slippers in his luggage.

The suspect claims he travels frequently to China, Dubai, Pakistan, and Vietnam, from where he imports baby wears he distributes from his Onitsha, Anambra state base.

In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport thwarted the attempt by a suspect, Chimezie Innocent Nwafor to export 2.10 kilograms of methamphetamine to Brazil.

Follow-up operations led to the arrest of three more suspects linked to the consignment at Oyingbo market, Yaba, Lagos.

They include Ifeanyi Onu; Simon Nwuzor and Omini ThankGod Peter.

The meth consignment was molded into 25 bars of local black soup called Dudu Osun and packaged in a carton for export to Brazil.

A similar attempt to export a cocaine consignment consisting of 300grams of raw cocaine and 200grams of phenacetin, a chemical agent used to adulterate and increase the volume of cocaine, concealed in packs of air freshener, going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, was also foiled by NDLEA operatives attached to the SAHCO export shed at the Lagos airport on Monday 20th March.

A suspect, Onyeze Obiora, has already been arrested in connection with the seizure.