– NDLEA intercepts cocaine bound for Saudi Arabia, Italy; seizes over 3.2 tonnes of cannabis in nationwide operations
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
A 30-year-old Italy-based businessman, Joseph Cyril, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after he allegedly ingested 98 wraps of cocaine and attempted to smuggle them out of Nigeria through the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
Cyril was arrested on Sunday, August 2, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930, which was scheduled to take him to Italy through Addis Ababa and France.
Following his arrest, NDLEA operatives placed him under excretion observation, during which he excreted all 98 wraps containing cocaine with a combined weight of 1.510 kilogrammes.
