Innocent passenger tricked by drug trafficker into carrying box of Indomie noodles with drugs at Enugu Airport...photo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a man who used packs of chicken flavoured noodles to smuggle cannabis through the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) in Enugu State on a China bound plane.

According to the NDLEA spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju, the cannabis was carefully prepared inside packs of noodles to avoid detection. The suspect identified as Benson Onyechi Esonwunne, was attempting to board an Ethiopian Airways flight from Nigeria to China when he convinced an innocent passenger to carry the box of packaged chicken flavored noodles for him on the plane.

"It is instructive that people be aware of this trick because what they consider as an assistance may just send them to prison or early graves. This is because drug trafficking is punishable by death in China." Mr Ofoyeju said.

The statement from NDLEA also said that Mr. Esonwunne had been deported from China two times prior for immigration offenses in 2008 and on May of this year. The suspect said that he began trafficking drugs because Nigeria’s economy was so poor, and its exchange rate so unfavorable, that he needed to turn to the illegal activity to get by.

The NDLEA said the man will face charges for his crime.