Paul Mbadugha, a Vietnam-bound businessman, was stopped at Abuja airport’s boarding gate after a body scan revealed he had ingested drugs, Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) stated Sunday.
While under observation, Mbadugha reportedly excreted the cocaine pellets, claiming they were handed to him by a friend in Lagos’ Isolo district.
Mbadugha claimed that his friend persuaded him to swallow the drug wraps, promising a payout of $2,000 in return.
Dr. Enyinna Omoke, MD, an Abuja-based doctor who witnessed the incident, told OCCRP that cocaine is among the most frequently trafficked drugs using this method—swallowing or inserting packages into body cavities.
“Internally smuggling drugs can hyperstimulate the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, leading to severe consequences such as brain damage, respiratory failure, and even death,” he explained.
The gastrointestinal tract, from mouth to anus, as well as the vagina and ears, are the most common areas used for internal drug concealment. Individuals who transport drugs this way are often caught due to suspicious behavior, intoxication, or leakage from the drug packets inside their bodies.
Last year, the NDLEA apprehended a notorious drug kingpin known for recruiting young Nigerians to smuggle cocaine into Europe. He was caught in the act of arranging for a courier to swallow 93 cocaine pellets destined for distribution in Italy.
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