The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), had on Wednesday, January 14, 2015 disclosed that about 229 Nigerians were deported from various countries in 2014 for offences bordering on drug trafficking.
The head of media and publicity of the agency, Mitchel Ofoyeju, who made this disclosure added that arrests by the agency at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, in the past two years increased by 16.22 per cent while drug seizures decreased by 33.68 per cent.
Ofoyeju further disclosed that the agency’s commander at the MMIA,Mr Hamza Umar, in 2013 as apprehended 93 drug suspects with 878.81kg of narcotics according to New Telegraph.
However, the figures increased in 2014 as 129 suspects which included 118 males and 11 females were arrested for drug trafficking with 436.065kg of drug seizures.
The 2014 result analysis showed that cocaine has the largest quantity with 120.44kg followed by Methamphetamine with 108.645kg, cannabis sativa (107.855kg), heroin (51.01kg), psychotropic substances (37.285kg) and ephedrine (10.83kg).
The estimated street value of the seized drugs in 2014 is N2.9 billion.
Umar revealed that a total of 117 drug suspects were nabbed most of which were from Ethiopian airlines, Emirates, Etihad, South African and Qatar.
He said, “A total of 44 suspects were apprehended trying to import narcotics into the country.
“South Africa, China and United Arab Emirates top the list of preferred destinations by suspects.
“The command received 229 persons who were deported on drug related charges.”
Umar said that out of the 229 drug deportees, 39 were deported from Italy, 37 from the United States, 36 from Spain, 31 from Norway,22 from Thailand.
14 persons were deported from Saudi Arabia, 13 from Switzerland, 7 from France, 5 from United Arab Emirates4 from Greece, while Brazil and Sweden had three each.
Australia, India and South Africa deported two persons each while Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Indonesia, Ireland, Portugal, Turkey Uganda and United Kingdom deported one person each. Twenty-one arrests were made on Ethiopian Airlines, 17 on Emirates, 12 on Etihad Airways, 11 on South African Airways, 10 on Qatar Airways and seven on Turkish Air.
Air France and Arik Air had two arrests each; Kenyan Airways and Royal Air Maroc recorded five each, while Alitalia and Rwand Air had four arrests each. Egypt Airline had three arrests, Cargolux two, while Africa World Airline, Iberia, KLM and Lufthansa had one arrest each.
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