Foreigner arrested with 9.9kg cocaine concealed in condoms gets 13 years in jail

A 34-year-old South American man from Suriname, Dadda Lorenzo Harvy Albert, who was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt, Rivers state for bringing into Nigeria 117 parcels of cocaine concealed in extra-large latex condoms factory packed inside bottles of 100ml body spray, has been convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

The suspect who claimed he departed his country, Suriname, located in the North Eastern coast of South America on 2nd April for Sao Paulo, Brazil and from Sao Paulo to Nigeria on Friday 7th April, 2023 on board Qatar Airvways flight in search of his long-lost Nigerian father whom he called “Omini”, was arraigned before Justice E.A. Obile of the Federal High Court 2, Port Harcourt on 1 June on two counts of importation and unlawful possession of 9.9kgs cocaine in charge number FHC/PH/181C/23.

The Surinamese however pleaded guilty to the two-count charge and after the review of the facts of the case on Thursday 20h July, he was convicted and sentenced to 13 years imprisonment on both counts without an option of fine.

In his ruling, Justice Obile declared that “You Dadda Lorenzo Harvy Albert is hereby sentenced to 13 years imprisonment without option of fine on Count 1 and Count 2 also. And both shall run concurrently.”

The trial judge also ordered the forfeiture of the sum of Ninety ($90) United States Dollars and Ten (R$10) Brazilian Real recovered from the convict at the time of his arrest to the Federal Government. The court equally refused the application by Lorenzo’s Counsel for him to be deported back to his country.

As a result, the convict is now serving his term of imprisonment at the Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

( NDLEA)