Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 25-year-old newlywed businessman, identified as Lovely Chukwulobelu, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, over an alleged attempt to smuggle 72 wraps of cocaine into Portugal.
The suspect, who resides in Portugal, was intercepted at the departure hall on Thursday, September 25, as he attempted to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Portugal through Addis Ababa. According to a statement by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the groom was caught with cocaine in his gut and his wedding ring still on his finger.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that the suspect was placed under excretion observation, a standard NDLEA procedure for suspected internal drug carriers, during which he egested a total of 72 wraps of the Class A illicit drug.
Narrating his story to investigators, Chukwulobelu said he ran a car decoration business at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, Lagos, before relocating to Portugal in May 2023. He returned to Nigeria to marry on September 13, 2026, and admitted turning to drug trafficking to offset the cost of the wedding.
The arrest is one of several NDLEA operations recorded across the country in the same period.
This report is based on verified information from an official NDLEA press statement. CDA News Nigeria adheres to strict standards of source verification, original reporting, and editorial accountability. Corrections may be directed to our editorial desk.
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