The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Mr Kingsley Celestino, a businessman, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, for being in possession of 9.40 kilograms of heroin, which was hidden in the false bottoms of his two bags.
This information was disclosed in a press statement on Sunday, 5 March, 2023 by Femi Babafemi, director, Media & Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja.
Celestino, a 49-year-old native of Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, who was travelling to India on Qatar Airline flight, was apprehended at Terminal 2 of the MMIA. He was having a Guinean international passport.
The initial inquiry revealed that the accused often flies to India on business class flights. He stated that he is involved in trading garments between Nigeria and India. It was then discovered that he acquired a Guinean passport from Guinea Bissau, which is where his mother is originally from.
Similarly, a shipment of nine packets of methamphetamine disguised as local black soap, Dudu Osun, and bound for Europe was also confiscated by NDLEA operatives from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, assigned to courier companies in Lagos.
According to Babafemi, a drum containing 270kg of methylene chloride and no less than 778,190 tablets of prescription opioids, including tramadol, were seized from a suspect named Eric Pepe Yohanna, 33, on Monday, 27 February in Jalingo, Taraba state as a result of reliable intelligence. A daylong tricycle used in the distribution of the illegal narcotics was also taken from him.
He further disclosed that in Adamawa State, the house of a wanted notorious drug dealer, Mamudu Njobdi at Sebore, Gyalla road Dougada ward, Mubi was raided in the early hours of Saturday 4 March, where he was arrested and drug exhibits recovered. The 31-year-old suspect was earlier arrested on Wednesday 22 February at his drug joint in Kolere water board but mobilised thugs to attack NDLEA officers and in the process escaped with exhibits.
