NDLEA Discovers Cocaine In Shoes, ‘Stabilizers’, Arrests Suspect

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has discovered 2.460kg of cocaine hidden inside female shoes and voltage regulators, popularly called ‘stabilizers’, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. The seizures were made in a consignment of female shoes from Brazil aboard an Ethiopian Airline flight and a shipment of voltage regulators meant for export to Gabon on a DHL cargo flight. The Lagos Airport Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Hamza Umar, explained that the shipment of shoes was abandoned. “We found an abandoned luggage containing ladies shoes that originated from Brazil. During examination, 1.860kg of cocaine was found inside the shoe soles. Our men at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) section of the airport also detected 600 grammes of cocaine hidden in a voltage regulator. A freight forwarder had been arrested in connection with the cocaine shipment to Gabon”, Hamza stated. The suspect, Nyeaka Chidiebere Anslem, 37, who claims to hail from Imo State, said in his statement that the consignment was given to him by a client. “I am a freight forwarder with over five years working experience. A client gave me a bag containing three voltage regulators and hair attachment to send to Gabon. “The NDLEA at SAHCOL while searching the luggage dismantled the voltage regulators and found five parcels of substance that tested positive for cocaine in one of the regulators”, Nyeaka said. The suspect is married with five children. The Chairman of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, said the agency will continue to keep an eagle-eye over the Nigeria-Brazil route while other African routes are being re-classified in line with current risk levels. “The NDLEA will continue to keep a close watch over Nigeria-Brazil route because of the high number of arrests and seizures made on the route. “Recent drug seizures on some African routes have equally placed them on a high risk platform. We must continue to adopt effective strategies in preventing the sub-region from being used as a drug hub”, Giade said.