19-yr-old Pakistani nabbed with ₦228m worth of heroin at MMIA

A 19 year old Pakistani student named Iftikihar Muhammed Arslan, (pictured above) has been arrested by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) for possession and attempted smuggling of 25.400kg of heroin considered worth N228m into Nigeria, Vanguard reports

Arslan was apprehended at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport during inward screening on passengers aboard a Qatar Airways flight. 25 parcels containing the hard drugs were discovered in his luggage.

The suspect thought to be in a drug cartel through his passport showed he left Lahore, Pakistan with the drugs to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, then Doha, in Qatar, from where he attached to Lagos. Continue...

In his confessional statement, Arslan denied familiarity with the drugs in his bag, saying he was here in Nigeria to enjoy the sweetness of Victoria Island and Ikoyi

"I am a student of Punjab College and I am in Nigeriaas a tourist because my friend told me that Victoria Island and Ikoyi are beautifultourist centres. Unfortunately, when I arrived at the Lagos airport, the heroinwas found in my luggage. This is my first time of coming to Nigeria and I hadintended to spend a week or two.” he said.

Confirming the incident, the Chairman of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade said that this was the highest drug arrest they have made since this year and it goes to show that NDLEA is winning the fight against drug trafficking

"This arrest and seizure will further send a warning todrug trafficking cartels that Nigeria is winning the fight against narcotics.NDLEA is prepared to halt the criminal activities of drug barons through acoordinated drug detection strategies. We are working very hard to alsoidentify other members of the criminal group" he said