Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a Delhi-bound passenger, Freeman Charles Ogbonna, at the screening point of terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.
Ogbonna was detained for ingesting 80 wraps of cocaine.
The arrest took place on Sunday, March 31, 2024, as Ogbonna attempted to board a flight to Delhi, India via Doha on Qatar Airways.
He was in possession of a Liberian international passport under the name Carr Bismark.
According to NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the suspect underwent a body scan which detected the presence of illicit drugs. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Ogbonna’s real identity was Freeman Charles Ogbonna.
He was then placed under NDLEA observation, where he began to exhibit signs of discomfort.
“Obviously choked by the volume of illicit drugs in his stomach and another substance taken to hold back excretion, the suspect soon began to retch before starting to vomit and excrete wraps of cocaine he ingested almost simultaneously,” Babafemi stated.
“Over four days, Ogbonna expelled a total of 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 889 grams through his mouth and anus. Despite the grave risk to his life, Ogbonna claimed he was coerced into drug trafficking by a relative. He confessed that he was given the drugs to swallow at a hotel in the Ipodo area of Ikeja, with a promise of a cash reward of N300,000 upon successful delivery of the consignment in India”.
The NDLEA has since detained Ogbonna as investigations continue into the drug trafficking operation.
