A 34-year old Nigerian trader has been arrested at the Lagos Intl’ airport over attempt to smuggle 16.335kg of cannabis concealed in foodstuff to Dubai.

Obi Chinweike was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, western Nigeria, by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

The suspect, who sells clothes in Ikorodu area of Lagos was invited for interrogation during the screening of passengers on an Etihad flight. Ten parcels of cannabis were found inside his two big bags, NDLEA said.

obi chinweike and his bags of cannabis

NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar was quoted as saying: “Our search team detected 16.335kg of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis at the luggage screening area. The cannabis was hidden in a false bottom of the bags containing yams, garri and other foodstuff. The suspect, Obi Chinweike who is a trader is currently assisting the investigation team.”

NDLEA said the suspect in his statement claimed he was offered $1,000 to deliver the drugs in Dubai.

The agency quoted Chinweike as saying: “I was given the drug at Onitsha by a friend who paid me $1,000 to smuggle the drugs to Dubai. Unfortunately, I was arrested in the process. I am from a poor home, I dropped out of school in 1996 in Senior Secondary class one due to lack of funds”.

Chinweike hails from Uli in Anambra State.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade warned drug traffickers to quit the criminal trade or face the consequences as contained in the NDLEA Act.

Giade was quoted as saying.
“If drug barons fail to quit the criminal trade, they will continue to be arrested and prosecuted. This arrest and similar ones are clear signals that drug traffickers will end up in prison custody if they fail to quit. The Agency has intensified search operations at all exit points,”