Nigerian held over drug smuggling bid

A Nigerian man was arrested today after he attempted to smuggle drugs into the country by swallowing €50,000 worth of cocaine.

Customs officials said the 25-year-old was stopped at Dublin Airport after he came off a flight from Belgium. Officers seized 0.75kgs of the drug.

He was intercepted having arrived on a flight from Brussels. During questioning the man admitted to customs that he was smuggling the drug.

It is understood the man swallowed a number of pellets containing cocaine.

He was taken to Beaumont Hospital in the north of the city where the cocaine was recovered.

The Nigerian was subsequently arrested by gardai from the Santry Drugs Unit and is currently being questioned in Santry Garda Station.