Heroin Concealed In Pampers
March 13, 2009 .
By Simon Ateba


[b]Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a 37-year-old man, Mr. Okechukwu Anthony Ikechukwu, with 2.9 kilogrammes of heroin concealed in baby pampers and empty Ghana-Must-Go bags.


According to Alhaji Idris Bello, Assistant Commander in charge of operations, NDLEA Airport Command, the mode of concealment is unique, as this is the first time this year, that pampers and baby wears have been used to traffic drug.

Ikechukwu, an indigene of Enugu state, was heading for China when he was picked up by NDLEA operatives at the departure lounge of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday night.

Upon his arrest, Ikechukwu claimed he was innocent and simply given the bag by Emeka Uwaezuoke, 41, an indigene of Imo state. The bag, he explained, was to be delivered to an unidentified man in China.

He said he did not know the content of the bag but was only helping a friend in need. But yesterday, when both men were paraded by the agency, Emeka denied that claim.

Also arrested was Chief Odugwukwe Azubuke, an indigene of Anambra state, who had been arrested by the NDLEA in 2007 and granted bail by a Lagos court. Azubuke had recruited a traveller to bring in the 3 kilogrammes of heroin from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, aboard Ethiopian Airlines.

The NDLEA said “in an attempt to outwit the operators, chief had recruited Hammed Sodeeq, who hails from Kogi state. In order for Sodeeq to get entrance into the arrival hall to pick up the drug brought in by an unknown traveller concealed in a duty-free polythene bag, chief had procured an international passport for Sodeeq, for him to gain access into the hall. Sodeeq then lied that he had returned from a trip a few days before and his bag had failed to arrive.”

Other suspects arrested recently include Afolabi Olushola, 39, picked up on 28 February, with some wraps of cocaine concealed in his stomach. He was heading for Spain aboard a KLM flight.[/b]Onum Michael Nkpa was arrested on 6 February, with 1.649 kg of cocaine. He was heading for Holland. Another suspect was arrested at the airport car park with 1.085 kg of heroin stuffed in the hollows of the metal handles and tyre racks

Bello Idris disclosed that the NDLEA Airport Command has so far arrested 25 suspects; 24 males and one female.

See display of talents for the wrong things .