By Godwin Oritse
LAGOS—National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested 13 suspected drug traffickers who attempted to export about  44.755 kg of cocaine through Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA.

The anti-drug agency also cautioned on the new tricks currently being employed by drug barons, saying that the information network of anti-drug agencies across the world has made it almost impossible for the movement of illicit drugs with out detection.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, said the spate of arrests and seizures of large quantities of illicit drugs is beginning to give the agency some concern. He warned members of the public to be wary of drug barons who recruit innocent persons that end up in trouble.

He said: “Our arrests and seizures are a source of worry to drug barons who now give false hope to drug couriers so as to persuade them.

“The public should take note just as prospective drug mules must learn from the experience of those arrested.”

While describing their latest stratagem  as misleading, he said: “Our approach is to launch sustained attacks on major drug traffickers through tactical counter intelligence.”

Giade assured that the desperate drug traffickers will fall prey to their evil plot.

“This implies being on the alert and participating in constant training and re_training to guarantee a clear lead ahead of drug barons”

The statement which was signed by the agency’s Spokesman Mr Ofoyeju  Mitchel said that drug barons have increased the temple of drug export with a view to making some quick money for the yuletide season.

“In the past three months, drug traffickers had devised several tricks in smuggling their drugs but the NDLEA had nipped such criminal moves at the bud.

“Illicit drugs have been traced by drug officials to bag handles, t_shirts, auto parts, foodstuff and even wigs.
“These modes of drug concealment are in addition to drug ingestion which is most prevalent”.

Some of the drug suspects nabbed in the last week of November include Udoh Christopher Ugochukwu, 38, Edionsehi Jude, 22, Obodo Kingsley and Okafor George Davidson,

Udoh Christopher Ugochukwu who claimed to be hawking discs in Greece ingested 77 wraps of cocaine for a fee of 3,500 Euros.

The suspect who was caught during the screening of Emirate passengers to Greece said that he was desperate to make money.

“I was desperate to get money,  it was a do or die affair because  I am the breadwinner of my family and the people that gave me the drug assured me that there is no problem” Udoh stated.

Edionsehi Jude was to board an Air France flight to Italy when he was arrested following scan result that he was positive for drug ingestion.

The welder who had lived in Italy for 7 years ingested 91 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.325kg and would have been paid 2,000 Euros.

According to Edionsehi who hails from Edo State, “I have been jobless and my wife is pregnant. I have so many responsibilities”. Obodo Kingsley, a Lagos_based trader said peer pressure made him to smuggle drugs.

He ingested 59 wraps of cocaine and was arrested on his way from Brazil aboard an Iberia flight. “I am a victim of bad friends.

I was lured into drug trafficking. They promised me a job in Brazil but after two months they told me that drug trafficking was the only way out” Obodo stated. He hails from Imo State.

Okafor George Davidson a trader living in Benin Republic was also nabbed on his way from Brazil. The suspect who boarded a Qatar Airways flight ingested 67 wraps of cocaine.

He is married with a child and hails from Anambra State. He too said that he was in the criminal act to make money.