A 59-year-old businessman, Ezeokoli Sylva, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after attempting to smuggle 700 grams of cocaine into Nigeria.
Sylva, who had been living in Brazil for 35 years, was apprehended on Friday, 29th November 2024, upon his return from São Paulo, Brazil, via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. A body scan revealed foreign objects concealed within his stomach, leading to further examination. The businessman was placed under excretion observation and expelled 29 wraps of cocaine.
Sylva admitted that he operated an African store in Brazil selling provisions, shoes, and clothing. He claimed he purchased the cocaine in São Paulo with the intent to resell it in Nigeria to raise capital for his business.
In a separate operation, the NDLEA intercepted two consignments on 26th November 2024 at a courier company in Lagos. These consignments, destined for the United Kingdom, contained 200 grams of cocaine and 40 ampoules of pentazocine injection. The drugs were concealed in local fabrics and cartons.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Kano arrested three individuals on 28th November with 2,000 ampoules of pentazocine and over 3 million Exol-5 pills. Also, in Lagos, operatives seized 2,120 kg of “Ghanaian Loud” cannabis on 28th November and 472 kg of the same drug in Ogun state. Further operations in Edo state led to the arrest of two individuals and the seizure of 185.6 kg of cannabis on 28th November.
