Six Nigerians nabbed for Drug Trafficking at Ghana airport
The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has confirmed that six Nigerians nationals have so far been arrested within 14 days this year in connection with drug trafficking at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), according to a Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Enforcement of NACOB
This comes as a result of NACOB’s latest arrest of another Nigerian, Chika Macillinus Umeugokwe for trafficking narcotic drugs into the country barely a week after the arrest of a Nigerian by one of NACOB’s dogs.
The 31 years old business man confirmed swallowing 69 pellets of heroine weighing one kilogramme with an estimated street value of $ 80, 000 on his arrival from Pakistan, a well-known area for the cultivation of Opium Poppy, the raw material used in manufacturing heroine.
The successful arrest came after the suspect was allowed to go through the formalities but unknown to him, he was been monitored by NACOB officials who followed him outside and subsequently apprehended him.
He later expelled the drugs when officials of NACOB took him to their headquarters for interrogations and examination.His arrest came when two of his accomplices, a Nigerian and a Ghanaian fled after sensing danger after close monitoring by officials of NACOB on duty at the airport.
A Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Enforcement at the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), Richard Nii Lante Blankson revealed that the suspect claimed he swallowed 77 pellets of heroin but vomited some in Pakistan before setting off to Ghana. He indicated that Umeugokwe in his quest to make quick money left the shores of Nigeria late last year, for Ghana by road and left the following day on board Kenya Airways to Nairobi and continued with Ethihad Airlines to Pakistan.
In Pakistan, Nii Lante Blankson stressed that Umeugokwe stayed at the Metro Park Hotel in Islamabad in Pakistan for six weeks where he claimed was aided by a fellow Nigerian called Cosmos to purchase the drugs.
According to him, the suspect claimed he paid $3,500 for 50 pellets of the heroin but Cosmos added 27 to what he had swallowed to be given to his brother on suspect’s arrival in Nigeria, but the suspect vomited some in Pakistan.
He added that the suspect will be arraigned after investigations and further assured the Ghanaian public of NACOB’s commitment to fight the drug trade.