Indian cartel imports N25m heroin in female handbags

Abiola

An Indian drug cartel on Saturday imported 2.3kg of high grade heroin worth N25m in female handbags into the country.

The drugs were intercepted and a suspect nabbed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency during the inward screening of passengers from Bombay, India, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Six female handbags were found to contain parcels of brown powdery substances that tested positive for heroin weighing 2.3kg.

In a statement on Monday by the agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, the NDLEA said arrangements were in top gear for a joint investigation of the cartel.

The statement quoted the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, as saying that the seizure would send a warning signal to drug trafficking syndicates that Nigeria was prepared to halt their sinister activities. 

Giade reportedly said, “We are going to resist all attempts by drug barons to import narcotics into the country. The rising profile of our great country is important to us and we are prepared to resist any attempt to smear our reputation. 

“This will serve as a warning to drug barons that they have an uphill task smuggling drugs into the country. NDLEA is seeking a collaborative investigation since the drug originated from Bombay, India.”

The agency’s Airport Commander, Alhaji Hamza Umar, stated that an arrest had been made in connection with the seizure. 

“We successfully apprehended the owner of the luggage in which the drug was found. The seizure was made during routine physical examination of goods. Investigation has commenced and the suspect is helping us with useful information,” Umar stated.

However, a 38-year-old single mother of two, Olanrewaju Abiola, has been arrested by the agency in connection with the drug.

Abiola, who hails from Igbaja town in Kwara State and sells Indian clothes at Lagoon Market, Nnamdi Azikiwe Road, Lagos Island, is helping the agency to unravel the owners of the bags. 

In her purported statement, Abiola She reportedly said she only helped the owner of the bags to bring them into the country.

Abiola said, “I only helped my fellow trader and did not know that the bag contained drugs. I used to buy my goods from Togo and Benin Republic. During my first trip to India in February 2011, I met this Nigerian woman who also imports goods from Indian. 

“When I got to Bombay during my recent trip, she requested me to assist her to bring some of her goods. She opened the bags for me to see because they are new bags. I never knew that heroin was industrially packaged in six of the bags. It is obvious that a fellow woman had played on my intelligence.”

Source : www.punchng.com