Bricklayer ingests 83 wraps of cocaine

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
has apprehended a 46-year-old bricklayer,
Chukwudi Ugankwo, at the Murtala
Muhammed International Airport Lagos, after
testing positive to drug ingestion.
It was learnt that Ugamkwo ingested 83
wraps of cocaine, weighing two kilogrammes.
The NDLEA said it was one of the highest
quantities of drugs ingested at a time by a
suspect this year.
NDLEA Airport Commander, Hamza Umar,
said Ugankwo was on his way back from
Brazil when he was caught.
He said, "Ugankwo was detected with the
help of scanning machines during the
screening of passengers on an Asky Airline
flight. The case is under investigation."
Ugankwo, who was said to have four
children, lived at Alor village, Anambra State.
He said, "I am a bricklayer at Alor. I was
lured into selling our family land in other to
travel out in search of job opportunities.
"I got to Brazil on July 10, 2013; things were
not as rosy as I hoped because I could not
get any job. That was when the idea of drug
trafficking was sold to me. I had to swallow
83 wraps of cocaine."
Chairman of the NDLEA, Mr. Ahmadu Giade,
told PUNCH Metro that drug barons had now
resorted to recruiting drug couriers from the
villages.
He said, "Recent investigations have shown
that drug barons now have agents who move
from village to village in search of drug
mules. Members of the public are urged to
turn down such requests."
In another development, Nigeria's most
beautiful girl 2013, Miss Anna Banner has
been cleared by the NDLEA for the
forthcoming Miss World Beauty contest in
Indonesia.
Banner was received at the NDLEA
headquarters at Ikoyi by the Head of Public
Affairs, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, on behalf of
Giade.
He said, "We are optimistic that you will fly
the country's flag high above others. Your
request for visa clearance certificate was
approved on merit having met the stipulated
requirements.
"NDLEA visa clearance is a policy where
Nigerians travelling to drug source countries
are screened by the Agency and
recommended to embassies for visa
issuance."