A suspected drug trafficker has allegedly excreted 99 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.425kg while under observation by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
The suspect, Chidi Odor, a 28-year old professional welder, who was based in Italy, was arrested by anti-narcotic agents during screening of Alitalia passengers to Milan at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos last Friday.
According to the Head, Public Affairs of the NDLEA, Ofoyeju Mitchell, Odor was apprehended when a scanning machine detected the wraps of drugs in his stomach.
Mitchell said Odor owned up to the crime during interrogation but blamed his involvement on financial pressures.
Odor reportedly said, “I have lived in Padova, Italy for 12 years where I work as a welder. After my marriage last December, I decided to spend some time with my wife before going back to Italy. In the process, I spent all my money. The person I called in Europe to send me some money to buy a ticket introduced me to his friend in Lagos.
“When I met him, he gave me the ticket money and asked me to take the drugs to Milan for 5,000Euros. Unfortunately, I could not resist the temptation because of my financial condition. I do not know how my wife will react but I hope she accepts my sincere apology.”
Reacting to Odor’s arrest and subsequent excretion of drugs, the Chairman of the anti-drug agency, Ahmadu Giade, urged potential drug traffickers to rise above the monetary gains of drug trafficking and consider the health risk and disrepute it would bring to their family and the country.
“It is obvious that the financial attraction to drug smuggling is very high and unless the law is judiciously applied, there will be no end to drug trafficking. I hope drug traffickers will rise above the pecuniary gains and consider the implications of their criminal act,” Giade said.
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