Nigeria arrests 5 suspects linked to drug smuggling

The Nigerian government on Friday said five suspects with 8.6 kilograms of cocaine were arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the nation's capital.

Muhammad Abdallah, the Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed this in a statement made available to Xinhua, saying 137 wraps of cocaine swallowed by two of the suspects were removed from their bodies at the hospital.

He said two passengers from Sao Paulo, Brazil en route Dubai have been saved from premature death by the prompt intervention of narcotic officers.

The chairman added that the suspects were in a critical health condition on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport due to drug ingestion.

"They were immediately rushed to the hospital for intensive medical care," the statement quoted him as saying.

According to him, all 137 wraps of cocaine ingested by the suspects have been successfully evacuated from their system and they are now in a stable health condition.

The NDLEA chairman said the three other suspects were caught with cocaine hidden in socks and chocolate boxes.

He added that three other suspects were arrested with duty-free bag stocked with 3.3kg of cocaine hidden in chocolates and another 3.8 kg of cocaine hidden inside socks.

Abdallah said two of the suspects would have died as a result of complications arising from ingestion of the 137 wraps of cocaine.

The NDLEA chairman warned the public against dangerous and criminal acts that were inimical to their well being, public health and safety.

All the five suspects would soon be charged to court, he added. Endit