A male cabin crew of Arik Air, has told the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) investigators how members of staff of the airline smuggle drugs aboard flights.
Premium Times reports,
A catering loader at the airline identified as Oliver Chibuzor, who was arrested by NDLEA officials, said they subvert airport security checks by concealing cocaine in catering supplies, reports.
Chika Udensi, a senior member of the Arik Air cabin crew, on Monday August 24 was arrested by UK Border Force officials with 20 kg of cocaine at Heathrow Airport in London.
According to the NDLEA, Udensi, an air steward, allegedly concealed the cocaine, which has an estimated street value of N100 million, within the “construction of laptop bags.”
NDLEA in a statement on Thursday, August 27, quoted Chibuzor as telling narcotic investigators that he was introduced into the drug business by Udensi.
He said: “Whenever Chika gives me the drug, I will hide it in catering supplies. Chika knows where to collect the drug inside the flight. They pay me N400, 000 per bag. I was expecting N1.2 million for the three bags that I smuggled into the aircraft.”
The anti-narcotics agency said that preliminary investigation revealed that both Udensi and Chibuzor had been infiltrated by a suspected drug cartel.
Ahmadu Giade, NDLEA’s Chairman, said he had directed that henceforth all airport workers must be extensively searched.
Giade added that all catering trucks, luggage trucks, aviation fuel tankers, machines and personnel whose duty directly or indirectly relates to tarmac and flight operations would be subjected to full screening.
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