NDLEA Arrests Italy-Based Businessman for Cocaine Trafficking

On Sunday, August 2, 2026, Joseph Cyril, a 30-year-old businessman based in Italy, was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu. Cyril was attempting to travel to Italy via Addis Ababa and France when he was apprehended during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930.

Following his arrest, he was placed under excretion observation, during which he expelled 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510 kilograms. Investigations revealed that Cyril had arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13, 2026, and ingested the cocaine in a hotel in Awka, Anambra State.

He admitted to trafficking the drugs for a fee of 3,500 Euros to raise money to relocate to Germany, where his family resides.