NACOB Nabs 6 Nigerians For Drugs In 14 Days

The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has arrested six Nigerians within 14 days for drug trafficking at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA). A Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Enforcement at NACOB, Richard Nii Lante Blankson announced this after the arrest of Chika Macillinus Umeugokwe for trafficking narcotic drugs into the country. The 31-year-old businessman confirmed swallowing 69 pellets of heroine weighing one kilogramme with an estimated street value of $80,000. He came to Ghana from Pakistan, a well-known country for the cultivation of Opium Poppy, the raw material used in manufacturing heroine. The successful arrest came after the suspect was allowed to go through formalities, but unknown to him, he was being monitored by NACOB officials who followed him outside and subsequently apprehended him. He later expelled the drugs when officials of NACOB took him to their headquarters for interrogation and examination. Two of his accomplices, a Nigerian and a Ghanaian, fled after sensing danger of close monitory by officials of NACOB on duty at KIA. Richard Nii Lante Blankson revealed that the suspect claimed he swallowed 77 pellets of heroin but vomited some in Pakistan before setting off to Ghana. He indicated that Umeugokwe in his quest to make quick money left the shores of Nigeria late last year for Ghana by road and left the following day on board Kenya Airways to Nairobi and continued with Etihad Airlines to Pakistan. In Pakistan, Mr Blankson said that Umeugokwe stayed at the Metro Park Hotel in Islamabad for six weeks, where he claimed he was aided by a fellow Nigerian called Cosmos to purchase the drugs. According to him, the suspect claimed he paid $3,500 for 50 pellets of the heroin but Cosmos added 27 to what he had swallowed to be given to his brother on arrival in Nigeria. Mr Blankson added that the suspect would be arraigned before court, and assured the Ghanaian public of NACOB's commitment to fight the drug trade.