Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 30-year-old Italy-based businessman, Joseph Cyril, for allegedly ingesting 98 wraps of cocaine while attempting to travel to Italy through Addis Ababa and France.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Cyril was arrested at the departure hall of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on August 2, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
Babafemi said the suspect was subsequently placed under excretion observation, during which he expelled 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510kg.
He said investigations revealed that Cyril arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13 and allegedly ingested the drugs at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, before travelling to Enugu to board his flight to Europe.
Babafemi said the suspect admitted agreeing to traffic the drugs in exchange for money.
“In his statement, he claimed he has been doing business in Italy for years before agreeing to traffic the drug consignment for a fee of 3,500 Euros in order to raise money to relocate to Germany where his family is based,” the NDLEA spokesman said.
NDLEA Foils Cocaine Shipment to Saudi Arabia
In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives foiled an attempt by suspected drug traffickers to export 1.2kg of cocaine to Saudi Arabia.
Babafemi said the cocaine was concealed in 25 phone chargers and intercepted at a courier company in Lagos.
“Attempts by some drug trafficking syndicates to export 1.2 kilograms of cocaine concealed in 25 pieces of phone chargers going to Saudi Arabia were thwarted by NDLEA operatives at a courier firm in Lagos,” he said.
