NDLEA arrests Thailand returnee with N3.1bn heroine

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, have arrested a Thailand returnee, Oguejiofor Simonpeter, for importing 13.30kg of heroin worth over N3.192bn.

In a statement released, NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said Oguejiofor was arrested on October 7, 2024, while attempting to smuggle out of the airport the drug concealed in six backpacks and then packed into two big suitcases.

According to Babafemi, the suspect left Thailand on October 3 on a Qatar Airways flight and stopped over in Doha, where he spent two days before heading to Lagos while his luggage was routed to Accra, Ghana, his original destination.

After arriving in Lagos on October 5, he contacted the airline to reroute his luggage to Nigeria so that he could pick them up as rush bags in a bit to beat security checks.

However, NDLEA officers intercepted him at the point of exit.

“A search of his two suitcases revealed three empty backpacks in each box with a large parcel of heroin neatly sewn to all six backpacks. The six parcels were subsequently recovered with a gross weight of 13.30kg,” the statement read.

Babafemi said Oguejiofor stated that he was offered $7,000 to peddle the drugs to Nigeria and Ghana.

 “In his statement, Oguejiofor claimed he was hired for a fee of $7,000 upon successful delivery of the parcels. He said he was to deliver two parcels in Lagos and the other four parcels in Accra, Ghana.” Babafemi said