A 65-year-old Nigerian woman has been arrested at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) on suspicion of attempting to smuggle out a large quantity of heroin she had swallowed. Police said yesterday that Olabisi Ibidum Cole had in her stomach 82 capsules of heroin with a street value if Sh50 million when she was arrested on Wednesday as she was about to fly out.
Cole was about to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight destined for Paris when she aroused the suspicion of security personnel, who immediately arrested her.
She passed 82 pellets of heroin while in custody.
Police yesterday took her to Temeke District Hospital after she complained of abdominal pain and high blood pressure.
Police sources said Cole flew into a panic after she was arrested and pleaded for mercy, saying she had come to Tanzania to eke out a living selling cosmetics.
Her passport showed that she first entered Tanzania on May 15. She recently visited the United States, United Kingdom, Gambia, Togo and Sierra Leone.
The head of the Anti-Drugs Unit, Mr Godfrey Nzowa, said yesterday that the elderly woman’s arrest should serve as a warning to drug traffickers that Tanzania was no longer a safe haven for them.
“They keep changing their tactics, but we are right at their heels. We know their tactics and movements more than ever before. The only option they have is to quit this business,” he said.
Mr Nzowa added that the unit had made significant gains in its war on drug trafficking, and attributed this to cooperation it was getting from the public.
“The world is now united against drugs. We are receiving crucial information about the movements of drug traffickers in and outside the country,” he said.
The Nigerian woman was arrested a few weeks after President Jakaya Kikwete gave airport authorities a tongue-lashing, saying he was not happy with the state of security at key airports in the country.
A visibly annoyed President Kikwete said he was particularly concerned about the continued use of JNIA and Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) as conduits for drug trafficking.
He made the remarks during the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of JNIA Terminal Three, which is expected to significantly expand the capacity of Tanzania’s biggest and busiest airport.
President Kikwete expressed his disgust at how easily drug kingpins were using local airports.
“I wonder how drugs go through our airports unnoticed only to be seized outside the country. What is it that lacks at our airports? I’m not happy with this situation and how the ministry and the airports authority are handling this issue,” he said.
President Kikwete said he had been directing the relevant officials to improve security at all airports in the country, but to no avail.
“This business has tarnished the image of this country, and due to its persistence, people all over the world now believe that all of us are involved in this business. I’m very sad about this.”
President Kikwete directed the Transport ministry and Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) to accord more attention to JNIA and KIA International Airport, saying the use of the two facilities as drug conduits was a chronic problem.
“All I’m asking for is improved security at these airports. If the trend continues, I will deal with you, the TAA director general, and your board chairman,” he said.
A fortnight ago, police at JNIA arrested a 31-year-old Tanzanian on suspicion of trying to smuggle in four kilogrammes of cocaine with an estimated street value of Sh200 million.
The suspect had just disembarked from an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil, at around 2am when anti-drugs personnel descended on him, apparently after being tipped off.
They fund the drug haul hidden in his luggage.
The Citizen
UM– USEKE.RW
