Thursday, January 31, 2008

NDLEA arrests undergraduate with 13.5kg of cocaine
By Wole Shadare

DESCRIBED as the single largest drug seizure this year, a Nigerian undergraduate, Adebowale Adeleke, 31 years, studying in the United States (U.S.) was on Tuesday arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with 13.5 kilogrammes of cocaine.

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The arrest, according to the NDLEA Spokesman, Ofoyeju Mitchel, took place at the departure hall of the airport during screening of passengers on British Airways flight to London.

The estimated street value of the drug, which he carefully packaged in chocolate wrappers, according to him "is N33,750,000".

Reacting to the arrest, Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, said that recent arrests recorded across the country, particularly at the airports, vividly demonstrate the agency's determination to make 2008 a drug-free year.

He said: "We have started on a very positive note and unless drug traffickers quit the obnoxious trade, we shall continue to apprehend them. We have successfully ridiculed their tricks by our superior trade craft and intelligence network".

The NDLEA boss noted that "this is a very special case because if not for the arrest, the parents would not have known what their son is doing abroad besides his studies".

He urged parents to be vigilant and monitor their children and wards carefully and directed that the case be investigated.

According to him: "This is the single largest seizure made since January 1, 2008. The suspect, Adebowale Adeleke, of No. 55 Sumonu Street, Ogba, Lagos and No. 648 Judges Station Road, Maryland, U.S., was to travel on British Airways flight to London when he was caught with the suspected substances that tested positive for cocaine weighing 13.5 kilogrammes. His passport and ticket numbers are A35823 39A and 12524472715-75.

Adeleke is a final year student of Business Administration, Baltimore City Community College, U.S.

The suspect, under interrogation, accepted ownership of the drug, which he claimed to have bought himself.