NDLEA Records Largest Cocaine Seizure At Port Harcourt Airport, Arrests Courier

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 37-year-old Nnanna Micheal over alleged possession of 73 sachets weighing 8.15 kilograms of cocaine at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

The Anambra-born Brazilian returnee was arrested during the inward screening of passengers on board Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Doha to Port Harcourt on March 29.

The NDLEA in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi on Sunday, described the development as the “largest seizure of such at the airport, since it began international flight operations years ago”.

The statement read partly: “During preliminary interview, Nnanna said he departed Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sunday midnight en route Qatar to Port Harcourt. He claimed an unidentified person in Sao Paulo gave him six bed sheets in which the drug was concealed to deliver to another unidentified person at Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.

“The 73 cocaine sachets were hidden in 4×1 feet factory sewn colourful bed sheets. Five of the bed sheets contain 12 sachets each, while the sixth bed sheet contains 13 sachets.

“Consequently, the anti-drug agency commenced an immediate investigation which led to the arrest of one Monday Alaisu, 50, who travelled from Lagos to pick the drug from Nnenna.

“He was arrested at the airport’s carpark where he was waiting to receive Nnenna with the latter’s photograph taken at the Brazilian airport and his international passport’s Data Page in his hand,” the agency noted.

The latest development came a week after the NDLEA arrested two drug traffickers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, for ingesting the illicit drug.

The suspects were said to have excreted 165 wraps of cocaine weighing over 2.243kg while under observation in the Agency’s custody.