ADDIS ABABA: The Ethiopian Federal Police Commission on Wednesday disclosed the arrest of 14 foreign nationals for alleged connection in drug trafficking activities.
According to the Ethiopian Federal Police Commission’s Counter Narcotics Operation team, the 14 individuals, 13 Nigerian nationals and one Brazilian national, were arrested in recent days for suspected involvement in drug trafficking activities.
Ethiopian police also seized along with the suspects more than 14-kg cocaine that was being trafficked through Bole International airport in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, state broadcaster Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) quoted Mengisteab Beyene, Deputy Director of the Counter Narcotics Operation, as saying on Wednesday.
Mengisteab also noted the cocaine drug produced in south American countries was planned to be distributed in various destinations across the world.
The Ethiopian Federal Police Commission has in the first three months of the current Ethiopian fiscal year 2020/2021 arrested 24 suspected drug dealers and confiscated 75-kg of illegal drugs.
In recent years, Ethiopia has toughened its anti-illegal drug laws and cracked down on individuals trading in illegal drugs.
Ethiopian law enforcement officials have also recorded in recent years an alarming increase in the number of drug busts of passengers transiting through airports in the east African country.