NDLEA Nabs 21-Year-Old Malaysian Based Drug Trafficker In Kano

A 21-year old Malaysian-based suspected drug trafficker, Umar King George, has been arrested by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Malam Amniu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, northern Nigeria, for trafficking in Methamphetamine.

Authorities of the narcotic agency at the airport who have been battling to control trafficking in the dangerous drug highly consumed in the Asian countries said they fear that if adequate measures were not taken, the barons may attempt to create local market for the illicit drug in Kano, a city reputed for its high stake in the consumption of assorted illicit drugs, including Lizard Dung, Rubber Solution, Hemp, excreta, cough syrup, inhaling of sewages and other toxic substances.

Operatives of NDLEA at the airport said Umar was arrested with 500 grammes of Methamphetamine Umar’s arrest coincided with the United Nations Anti-Drug Day, NDLEA authorities at the airport revealed this evening. The airport Commander, Mr. Ambrose Umoru, said on Thursday that the suspect thought his officers would be busy with arrangements to celebrate the UN anti-drug day, “but he was unaware of the fact that we in the airport Command have remained proactive and vigilante in our operations.”

Mr. Umoru who on UN Anti-drug Day lamented the spate of trafficking in methamphetamine via the airport said his Command was working hard to ensure that dealers in the illicit drug would not create local market in Kano.  According to him, three suspects have been prosecuted and jailed for trafficking in Methamphetamine substance via the airport to Asian countries.

He revealed that in the last one year, MAKIA Command has confiscated
14.851 kilogrammes of narcotics out of which 13.851 kilogramme were substances suspected to be Methamphetamine. “Methamphetamine is largely consumed in the Asian world, it is not as expensive as cocaine. We are trying to ensure that the traffickers in these illicit drugs do not create local market here in Kano,” he added.

“The suspect had envisaged that with the attention of the Command operatives focused on the activities marking the U.N anti-drug day, he would be able to sneak into the aircraft unnoticed.” Luck, however, ran out on Umar during the outward screening of passengers of Egypt Air flight number MS 880 en-route Cairo to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia with the substance neatly concealed inside his shoes.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect who claimed to be a student of Bosston Web College, Kuala Lampur revealed that he had hoped to sell the drugs to his friends and college mates to enable him raise money so as to pay his school fees,” the NDLEA boss said, adding that investigation was still in progress. The MAKIA Commander of the narcotic agency warned drug barons and traffickers to stay clear of the airport or be ready to face prosecution, “because in this Command, we do not compromise.”