The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended an unconventional smuggling duo, as Mrs. Nkechi Ngogbike, also known as Nonyelum Ilonzeh, concealed 184 cocaine-filled wraps weighing 3.322 kilograms, including a 100-gram stash hidden in her vagina.
Ngogbike was accompanied by a man who presented himself as Mr. Onyebuchi Ilonzeh.
Their arrest occurred on August 1, 2023, at the international wing of Lagos airport, Terminal 1, while attempting to board a flight to India via Ethiopian Airlines.
While their travel documents displayed identical surnames and purported them to be a couple, NDLEA officials, suspicious of their behavior, subjected them to a body scan, confirming drug ingestion.
Both suspects were subsequently placed under excretion observation at the NDLEA facility.
Investigations revealed that the duo was not genuinely married, but had assumed a shared surname to bypass airport security.
Ngogbike divulged that she was recruited for the illicit operation through her church in Aba, Abia state, and that Mr. Ilonzeh was merely a partner for the drug trafficking endeavor, not her actual husband.
She admitted that she had concealed a substantial 100-gram cocaine package within her private parts, and was promised $5,000 upon successful drug delivery in India.
Mr. Ilonzeh, formerly engaged in the clothing business in Onitsha, Anambra state, stated that he was offered $2,000 for facilitating the drug delivery in India.
Further investigation revealed that he had previously been arrested under a fake identity and was involved in a similar drug smuggling incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
In an unrelated event, NDLEA operatives also intercepted various drug shipments bound for Europe, revealing the agency’s ongoing efforts to curb drug trafficking activities.
Additionally, significant drug seizures were made in Kano state and Borno state, while a suspect transporting a substantial amount of tramadol, rohypnol, and codeine-based syrup was apprehended along the Abaji-Abuja highway.
The NDLEA’s continued dedication to dismantling drug trafficking networks and intercepting illegal shipments remains steadfast, ensuring the safety and well-being of communities across the nation.
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