TheCable

Dorothy Onyeka, a 41-year-old mother of three, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos for faking her pregnancy with cocaine.

Mitchell Ofoyeju, spokesman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), disclosed this in a statement, saying it happened on Saturday.

The statement said the woman had just arrived the country from Dubai.

“The drug was intercepted during the inward screening of passengers on an Emirates flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates,” the statement read.

“The substance has a total weight of 1.720 kilogrammes with an estimated street value of N20.6 million.”

The statement quoted Ahmed Garba, NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, as saying the wraps of cocaine would have been easily mistaken for pregnancy.

“It was discovered that the suspect kept 86 wraps of cocaine inside a waist bag which was tied to her stomach,” he was quoted as saying.

“Unfortunately, the drug was detected by NDLEA officers on her arrival from Dubai. The drug was immediately packed and weighed in her presence.

“It had a gross weight of 1.720 kilogrammes.”

Muhammad Abdallah, chairman of the agency, said the recent drug seizures at the airport was capable of forcing drug cartels to a retreat.

“In the past few days, the NDLEA has recorded numerous arrests and drug seizures at the Lagos airport,” he said.

“The drug cartels have also suffered huge losses from these operations. This particular suspect feigned pregnancy with wraps of cocaine but she was caught by vigilant narcotic agents.

“Some of the suspects recently apprehended concealed drugs in their socks and luggage while others ingested wraps of cocaine in disregard of the danger to their health.

“In spite of their craftiness, we are daily stopping them from perpetrating their criminal act and forcing them to a retreat.”