LAGOS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's anti-drug agency on Monday announced the seizure of 21.9 kilograms of cocaine at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the country's capital.
The illicit substance, concealed in two suitcases, was the largest single seizure by the airport command of the agency, said Jonah Achema, spokesperson for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in a statement reaching Xinhua.
Two unaccompanied and unclaimed suitcases were discovered after the arrival of an Ethiopian Airline flight in Abuja from Addis Ababa, Achema said.
NDLEA airport commander Kabir Tsakuwa said that operatives, during the inward clearance of the flight, became suspicious upon noticing that the two briefcases were abandoned on the conveyor belt without any of the passengers claiming them.
"The first unclaimed suitcase was searched and found with three blankets out of which two contained parcels of transparent nylon which housed whitish substances suspected to be hard drugs," Tsakuwa said.
The second unclaimed suitcase contained 22 packet shirts, and one parcel of the drug was concealed in each of the shirts and covered with a blue carbon paper containing transparent nylon.
The substance was field-tested and proved positive for cocaine, Tsakuwa said, adding that authorities are trying to identify those behind the trafficking. Enditem
