A 20-year-old Ghanaian-British national, identified as Parker Darren Hazekia Osei, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for attempting to smuggle 19.4kg of Loud, a high-grade strain of cannabis, into Nigeria.
The suspect was intercepted on Thursday, April 3, during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand, at the E-Arrival Hall of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy for the NDLEA, said in a statement on Sunday that operatives of the agency uncovered 36 parcels of the illicit drug hidden inside a large travel bag.
He explained that preliminary investigations revealed that Osei, who claims to be a Computer Science student at East London University, UK, had flown from London to Bangkok a week earlier to procure the consignment for delivery in Nigeria.
The statement reads in part, “NDLEA officers of the MMIA Strategic Command same day, Thursday 3rd April intercepted a 20-year-old Ghanaian – British man, Parker Darren Hazekia Osei with 36 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 19.40kg packed in a giant travelling bag.
“The suspect who claims he is a student of Computer Science at East London University, UK, was arrested during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand, at the E-arrival hall of the Lagos airport.
“In his statement, the techie claims he lives with his parents in the UK but left London about a week ago for Bangkok where he picked up the illicit drug consignment to deliver in Nigeria.”
“In Abia state, NDLEA officers on Saturday 5th April arrested a 75-year-old grandpa, Nna Nnanna Felix with 1.6kg skunk, a strain of cannabis during a raid at Umunteke Asa, Ukwa West LGA, while another suspect David Chinemerem, 21, was nabbed with 2,050 ampoules of pentazocine at 7 Nnajiego Lane, Umuode road, Aba on Tuesday 1st April,” the agency added.
