Bolivians arrested at Entebbe Airport with 200 cocaine pellets

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Aviation Police –AVIPOL at Entebbe International Airport have arrested two Bolivian nationals over swallowing 200 drug pellets.

Deputy Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, identified the suspects as Choque Condori Emilio and Martinez Villarpando Pedro.

Owoyesigyire said the suspects who came into the country on September 29th was suspected by AVIPOL team since they were not clear on their destination. Though their luggage contained no drugs, police became suspicious of their bulged stomachs and were put on observation until each passed out 100 cocaine pellets.

Emilio, 24, came into Uganda holding passport number CEO7659 and he is a resident and farmer of Rabela Province in Bolivia. Pedro, 22, holds passport number 10310925, also a farmer and resident of Chquisaca Chaco Cruse in Bolivia.

“We are holding them on the offence of unlawful possession of Narcotic drugs in accordance to section 4(1) and 2(a) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act 2016,” said Owoyesigyire.

The duo, according to police, arrived at Entebbe Airport at about 13:20 hours aboard Ethiopians Airlines flight number ET 338 from Brazil via Addis Ababa. AVIPOL narcotics team suspected them to be in possession of narcotics drug by swallowing.

“Both were taken to Aviation police station and put on observation whereupon each passed out 100 pellets making a total of 200 pellets of substances suspected to be narcotics drugs,” Owoyesigyire said.

Police said the 200 pellets had a gross weight of 2914.83gms and preliminary tests indicate cocaine. The pellets have since been submitted to Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory –DGAL for advanced analysis.

The duo has been slapped with two counts of unlawful possession of narcotics drugs and trafficking in narcotic drugs in accordance with Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (control) Act 2016. Police said the suspects’ file has already been sent to Resident State Attorney and are likely to appear in Entebbe High court.

In June, Uganda Radio Network –URN published a story where AVIPOL had impounded narcotics drugs worth Shillings 5.2 billion at Entebbe International Airport between January and June of this year.

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