The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Oguejiofor Nnaemeka Simonpeter, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The 29-year old Thailand returnee, was apprehended on October 7, 2024, for smuggling heroin valued at over N3.1 billion an official statement by the NDLEA.
He was arrested while attempting to smuggle out of the airport the illicit drug concealed in six backpacks and then packed into two big suitcases, according to the NDLEA
Oguejiofor, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State, arrived in Lagos on October 5, 2024, after flying from Thailand via Qatar Airways.
His luggage was initially routed to Accra, Ghana but he later requested for the bags to be redirected to Lagos.
NDLEA discovered Six backpacks concealed within two large suitcases, each containing neatly sewn parcels of heroin. The total weight of the heroin amounted to 13.30 kilograms.
Oguejiofor admitted to being hired for $7,000 to smuggle the drugs. “I was meant to deliver two parcels in Lagos and four in Accra,” he confessed.
In a related development, NDLEA officers intercepted large quantities of opioids at the Lekki Deep Seaport, Apapa Seaport, and Port Harcourt Port Complex (Onne) between October 7 and 11, 2024.
The seized drugs included 32.6 million tramadol pills, valued at over N12.57 billion, and 1.45 million bottles of codeine-based syrup, worth N10.16 billion.
The total value of the intercepted opioids across the three seaports amounted to N22.7 billion.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
