FCT: NDLEA seizes unaccompanied 21.9kg cocaine at airport, begins probe

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has recovered two suitcases of cocaine at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Though the suitcases bearing the cocaine were unaccompanied they had the name tags indicating they belonged to one Akomaye Ife and Nze Lusaka U.

Reacting to the development the Airport Command of the NDLEA noted that the narcotic, weighing 21.9 kilogrammes, was the its largest single recovery.

The Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs, NDLEA, Jonah Achema disclosed this in a statement on Monday

Explaining how the recovery was made, Achema said the suitcases, which remained unclaimed as of press time, were discovered after the arrival of Ethiopian Airline ET 910 in Abuja from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The statement read in part, “The NDLEA commander directed the officers to keep an eye on the suitcases and informed the airline and its handlers of NDLEA’s interest in the luggage.

“After a few days of no one claiming the luggage, the commander formally contacted the station manager of Ethiopian Airline and NAHCO Aviance, being the handler for the airline, indicating the suspicion of the agency of the suitcases and placed a standing order that NDLEA should be invited before the luggage would be released to the owner or in the event that the luggage would be returned to the point of embarkation.

“After many weeks of no claim by the owners, the commander informed the airline on the need for search to be conducted on the unclaimed suitcases.

“The airline officials, including the baggage handler along with the Department of State Services, Aviation Security and Nigeria Customs Service, were invited to the NDLEA office where the search was conducted.”

According to the agency, the first suitcase was searched and found with three blankets out of which two contained parcels of transparent nylon which housed whitish substances suspected to be hard drugs.

Field tests proved positive for cocaine and weighed 10.750kg.

The box had a baggage tag with the name Akamonye Ife.

The second suitcase reportedly contained 22 packs of shirts with one parcel of drugs concealed in each of the shirts and covered with a blue carbon paper containing a transparent nylon.

It added, “The substance was also field tested and returned positive for cocaine and weighed 11.150kg. The second suitcase had a baggage tag with the name Nze Lusaka U. The drug seized made a total of 21.9kg.

“According to the NDLEA Airport Commander, Kabir Tsakuwa, investigation is ongoing and the command is currently liaising with the Ethiopian Airline to get more information in order to unravel the identity of the couriers.”