Nigerian officials seize cocaine worth R50m at Lagos airport

A 48-year Nigerian man, who had been convicted of trafficking last year but paid a fine to avoid jail time, was allegedly carrying 817 wraps of cocaine. Stock photo.
A 48-year Nigerian man, who had been convicted of trafficking last year but paid a fine to avoid jail time, was allegedly carrying 817 wraps of cocaine. Stock photo.
Image: 123RF/scanrail

Nigerian officials seized 19.4kg of cocaine worth 4.66-billion naira (R50.8m) from a passenger who arrived at Lagos airport on a flight from Ethiopia, its anti-drug agency said on Tuesday.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it arrested a 48-year Nigerian businessman, who had been convicted of trafficking last year but paid a fine to avoid jail time, on September 18. He was allegedly carrying 817 wraps of cocaine.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country with over 200-million people, has in recent years gone from being a transit point for gangs moving drugs between South America and Europe to a full-blown consumer and distributor.

"The agency will continue to work to disrupt the activities of drug cartels operating in the country," NDLEA chief Mohammed Buba Marwa said in a statement.


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