The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has aborted a plot to export 9.2kg of methamphetamine hidden inside palm oil to South Africa.
The discovery was made during screening of cargoes on a South African Airline flight at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos. A taxi driver who brought the consignment has been apprehended by anti-narcotic officials.
NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, said “A taxi driver, by name Okwuokei Peter has been arrested for attempting to
export 9.2kg of methamphetamine to South Africa. The drug was packed in forty-one (41) parcels and hidden inside a gallon containing palm oil”.
The suspect in his statement said, that he was sending the drug to his regular passenger. His words, “One of my regular passengers asked me
to send the gallon of oil to him. I thought I was doing him a favour; little did I know that it will land me in big trouble. He called me and asked me to collect a gallon of palm oil from somebody.”
Adding that “When I got to the estate junction as directed by him, a young man walked up to me and asked if I am Peter, I said yes; then he gave me the gallon of sealed palm oil. At the airport, it was found to contain drugs during search. In fact, I am speechless, confused and frustrated”. The suspect, hails from Delta state and lives in Lagos with his wife and four children.
According to Section 11, sub section b of the NDLEA Act, “anybody who without lawful authority export, transports or otherwise traffics in the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD heroine or any other similar drugs shall b guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life”. (NAN)
