A middle aged woman, Dorothy Onyekasi, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos for allegedly faking pregnancy with 86 pellets of white powdery substance said to have tested positive for cocaine.
The drug, with a total weight of 1.720kg and an estimated street value of N20.6 million naira was intercepted during the inward screening of passengers on an Emirates flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba said the wraps of cocaine would have been easily mistaken for pregnancy.
“It was discovered that the suspect kept 86 wraps of cocaine inside a waist bag which was tied to her stomach. Unfortunately, the drug was detected by NDLEA officers on her arrival from Dubai. The drug was immediately packed and weighed in her presence. It had a gross weight of 1.720kgs” Ahmadu stated.
The 41-year-old mother of three, who is an importer of female bags and shoes from Dubai, said that her involvement in drug trafficking was a mistake.
In her words, “I am a business woman living in Lagos. I am separated from my husband who left me with three children. I used to import female bags and shoes from Dubai. My involvement in drug trafficking is a mistake and I take responsibility for my action. I travelled to Dubai to buy my goods. While I was preparing to return, I met a man in Dubai who gave me the drug and promised to give me enough money to expand my business. He also told me that when I get to Nigeria, he will call his partner to collect the drug and give me my money. When I got here, the drug was detected at the airport and I was arrested. It is all my fault. If only I was contented with the profit from the sales of my goods; I would not have been in this problem”.
Dorothy who hails from Enugu State is a Junior Secondary School certificate holder.
She will be charged to court soon.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd,) has described recent drug seizures at the Lagos airport as a welcome development that is capable of forcing drug cartels to a retreat.
According to Abdallah, “in the past few days, the NDLEA has recorded numerous arrests and drug seizures at the Lagos airport. The drug cartels have also suffered huge losses from these operations. This particular suspect feigned pregnancy with wraps of cocaine but she was caught by vigilant narcotic agents. Some of the suspects recently apprehended concealed drugs in their socks and luggage while others ingested wraps of cocaine in disregard of the danger to their health. In spite of their craftiness, we are daily stopping them from perpetrating their criminal act and forcing them to a retreat”.
