The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 30-year-old businessman, Joseph Cyril, who is suspected of swallowing 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510 kilograms while preparing to travel to Italy via Addis Ababa and France.
NDLEA
The NDLEA stated that Cyril was arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu on August 2, 2026, after which he was placed under excretion observation and subsequently expelled the 98 wraps of cocaine.
The agency said investigations revealed that Cyril had entered Nigeria from Italy on July 13, then swallowed the drugs at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, before heading to Enugu to catch a flight to Europe.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect confessed to trafficking the illicit drugs in order to earn €3,500, which he said he intended to use to return to Germany, where his family resides.
In other operations, the NDLEA seized illicit drugs in Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Edo, and Abia states, including 1,633 kilograms of cannabis, alongside the arrest of several individuals.
The agency also intercepted the trafficking of 1.2 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside 25 phone chargers bound for Saudi Arabia, while food items laced with cannabis weighing 309.4 kilograms were seized at Tin Can Port in Lagos.
The NDLEA stated that its officers continue to carry out raids and patrols to curb drug trafficking across the country.