Brazil returnee drug dealer, Nnanna Anayo Michael has been arrested at the Port Harcourt International Airport, PHIA, with 73 sachets weighing 8.15 kilograms of cocaine.
This is the largest seizure of such cocaine at the airport since it began international flight operations years ago.
A statement issued by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi on Sunday said the 39-year-old suspect was arrested during the inward screening of passengers on board Qatar Airline flight QR1433 from Doha to Port Harcourt on Tuesday, 29th March.
Nnanna hails from Ekwusigo, Anambra State.
Babafemi alleged that during the preliminary interview, Nnanna said he departed Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sunday at midnight en-route Qatar to Port Harcourt.
“He claimed an unidentified person in Sao Paulo gave him six bed sheets in which the drug was concealed to deliver to another unidentified person at Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.
“The 73 cocaine sachets were hidden in 4×1 feet factory sewn colourful bed sheets. Five of the bed sheets contain 12 sachets each, while the sixth bed sheet contains 13 sachets,” he disclosed.
According to Babafemi, an immediate follow-up operation led to the arrest of 50-year-old Monday Alaisu, who travelled from Lagos to pick up the drug from Nnanna.
“He was arrested at the airport’s carpark where he was waiting to receive Nnanna with the latter’s photograph taken at the Brazilian airport and his international passport’s Data Page in his hand,” he added.
The NDLEA spokesman said in another raid seven drug dealers were arrested in parts of Kano with 80 kilograms of codeine and pentazocine injection seized from them.
“Those picked in Rijiyar Zaki, Brigade, Yan-Kaba, Tudun Wada, Karfi, Ungogo and Nassarawa areas of the state include: Muhammad Adamu; Abba Sani; and Auwalu Muhammad, among others,” he disclosed.