Barely three weeks after a Nigerian woman, Kudirat Afolabi, was executed in Saudi Arabia for drug trafficking, Custom officers at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) have arrested another with more than 550 grams of cocaine worth US$66,900 (N20.5 million) hidden in her vagina and other parts of the body.
The 37-year old Nigerian woman arrived Hong Kong on a flight from Lagos via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Hong Kong Customs officers arrested the suspect, who claimed to be a businesswoman and was said to be acting suspiciously, shortly after her arrival on Thursday.
She was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei for a check-up and confirmed to have foreign objects in her body. Officers first recovered 215 grams of cocaine contained in condoms and plastic bags found in her vagina.
She later discharged 24 capsules of cocaine, each weighing 14 grams, from her body. The haul, weighing 550 grams in total, was estimated to be worth HK$522,000 (US$66,900).
The authorities said the woman, who was detained for inquiries, may discharge more drugs. It is not the first time such a case has been detected.
Several Nigerians have been busted abroad for trafficking in drugs.
Apart from Kudirat Afolabi who was executed on April 1, 2019, twenty other Nigerians are on death row for the heinous crime in the Islamic kingdom. One of them, Saheed Ayinde Sobade was caught with 1,183 grams of cocaine four days after Afolabi was executed.
Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who confirmed the arrest, said, “I have bad news for you. Just yesterday, in the midst of the cacophony of 20 to be killed, eight have been killed, another Nigerian was caught with cocaine in Jeddah.
“He was caught with 1,183 grams of cocaine powder. As he was arrested, the mission was informed and his name is Saheed Ayinde Sobade.”
Also last week, a 40-year Nigerian footballer identified as Ikenna was arrested by the authorities in India for being in possession of 10 grams of crystal meth and 18 grams of cocaine.
