NDLEA nabs businessman carrying 81 cocaine pellets in stomach

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that a 59-year-old businessman, Chijioke Nnanna Igbokwe, underwent an exploratory laparotomy to remove 57 of 81 cocaine pellets lodged in his stomach. The operation became necessary after the illicit substances remained stuck for seven days following his ingestion in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, Igbokwe was apprehended at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight on Sunday, January 26, 2025.

A body scan conducted immediately after his arrest confirmed the presence of illicit drugs in his system, prompting the agency to place him under custody for excretion observation.