Smugglers hide N119m drugs in perfume bottles

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have recovered 13.33 kilogrammes of substances that tested for cocaine from two suspected smugglers.

The suspects – Marvin Daniel and Victor Akubuo – were said to have concealed the drugs inside capacitors and perfume bottles before the officials at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport nabbed them.

While Daniel hid 7.58 kilogrammes of the drugs in the capacitors, Akubuo concealed his, weighing 5.75kg, inside perfume bottles.

Our correspondent learnt that the smugglers were arrested with the narcotics, whose street value stood at N119m, during the screening of passengers en route from Dubai.

Twenty nine-year-old Daniel, who hails from Abia State, said it was the get-rich-quick syndrome that pushed him into the act. He said he was surprised that the officials were able to detect the well-packaged drugs.

“I am searching for a business breakthrough when my friend told me that I could earn N500,000 by just going to Brazil. He told me they would buy my return ticket and all I needed to do was to bring in the cocaine. He assured me that the drugs would not be detected because of the way it was packed. Unfortunately, the drug was detected by NDLEA officers during a search at the Abuja Airport,” Daniel said.

In his confession, Akubuo, 26 and a trader in Anambra State, said he wanted to boost his business with the expected proceed from the smuggling.

He said, “I needed some money to invest in my ailing business. That was how my friend convinced me to smuggle drugs for the sum of N500,000. The drug was hidden inside new perfume containers and I never knew it will be uncovered by the officers.”

The NDLEA Commander at the Abuja Airport, Mr. Hamisu Lawan, confirmed the arrests to PUNCH Metro.

Lawan said, “Daniel Marvin was arrested during the inward screening of passengers on an Emirate Airline flight from Dubai. He was found in possession of 7.58kg of cocaine hidden inside capacitors. The second suspect, Akubuo, was found in possession of 5.75kg of cocaine hidden inside perfume bottles. Both suspects were coming from Brazil when they were arrested.”

The agency’s boss, Mr. Ahmadu Giade, promised that the agency would continue to frustrate the criminal activities of drug barons.

“These arrest and seizure are products of superior counter-narcotic strategies. The agency is committed to the eradication of drug trafficking cartels,” he said