Europe and UAE-bound large consignments of illicit drugs have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The seized illicit drugs included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and ephedrine, among others.
This was as the anti-narcotics agency seized 75.75kg skunk from Canada; arrested a pregnant woman and a school teacher and also seized over two tons of drugs in eight states.
The seizures and arrest were contained in a press release, today, by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
The attempts to export the illicit drugs through various disingenuous modes of concealment by desperate drug cartels were thwarted by the NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos.
Babafemi stated that top on the list of those so far arrested in connection with the seizures is a Nigerian, based in Athens, Greece, Iwuozor Edward Chinedu.
“He was debarked from an Ethiopian Airline flight on Friday, 3 February after officers in the tarmac team of NDLEA intercepted two bags during a secondary check exercise at the foot of the aircraft.
“When the bags were searched in the presence of Chinedu and other airport stakeholders, two big pellets wrapped with foil papers and some sprinkles of pepper were recovered from each of the two sides of one of the bags.
“The pellets were used to construct false walls at the sides of the bag.
“The two parcels contained substances that tested positive to cocaine and heroin with a gross weight of 1.30kgs and 900grams respectively.
“During preliminary interview, Chinedu claimed he came to Nigeria three months ago to do a surgery, which he was not comfortable doing in Athens.
“He further claimed that he was given the bag to deliver in Greece for a fee of two million naira (N2,000,000),” the NDLEA Director of Media stated.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives, last Monday, arrested a pregnant woman, Mrs. Sylvester Gloria Onome, at the NAHCO Export Shed of the airport.
The arrest was effect after 800grams of skunk were discovered concealed in two small radio sets she was sending to Dubai, United Arab Emirate.
On the same day, operatives also intercepted a consignment going to Congo Kinshasa, containing 111 bottles of body cream.
The bottles of body cream were used to conceal 24.50kgs of ephedrine, a chemical precursor and active ingredient to produce methamphetamine.
The cargo was later traced to a trader at Alaba Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos, Onyekachukwu Uduekwelu, after the initial arrest of two freight agents.
Another housewife, Mrs. Okpara Chizoba Victoria, was arrested at her residence at 37 Obashola Street, Ijesha area of Lagos on Friday, 27 January.
Her arrest followed the seizure of 300grams of skunk hidden in a bag of crayfish she was sending to Dubai, UAE through a freight agent, Babafemi stated.
“In the same vein, operatives at the SAHCO Export Shed of the airport, on Thursday 26 January, intercepted a sack of new clothes going to Sierra Leone.
“During a thorough search of the consignment, a parcel of white crystalline substance that tested positive to methamphetamine with a gross weight of 1kg, as well as 300grams of skunk and 100grams ecstasy (MDMA) were recovered.
“A freight agent, Mfonabasi Victor Joseph, was already arrested in connection with the seizure,” it was stated in the release.
No fewer than 255,500 pills of tramadol and diazepam were recovered from an Italy-based suspect, Duru Josephat.
He was said that have concealed the drugs in two of the bags he was travelling with to Milan, Italy on an Ethiopian airline flight.
“He confessed he bought the drugs in Onitsha, Anambra State and was taking them to Italy to sell,” Babafemi added.
NDLEA operatives have, again, seized 75.75kgs of cannabis indica which came from Montreal, Canada, hidden in a container of four used vehicles with number MSCU 5336680.
The latest seizure was coming barely a month after operatives at the Tincan Seaport intercepted a consignment of 24.5kgs of same substance concealed in used vehicles imported from Canada.
“Coincidentally, the consignment has also been traced to a suspect already in custody in connection with the earlier seizure, Steve Adigwe and his accomplice, Cedrick Maduweke, who is still on the run,” Babafemi stated.
In Bauchi State, a suspect, Clement Ekweozor, was nabbed at Rafin Zurfi area, Bauchi Town with 28,088 pills of tramadol and other opioids.
This was as 12,000 capsules of the same drug were among others recovered from four suspects when their commercial bus marked UGH 978 KS was intercepted at Koka Junction, Asaba, Delta State by NDLEA operatives, last Wednesday.
A 40-year-old secondary school teacher, Sani Isah, was arrested by operatives at a house in Jekadefari area of Gombe on Thursday, 2 January for dealing in new psychoactive substance, Akuskura.
“2,198 bottles of the substance, concealed in six bags, were recovered from him while he claimed to have started the illicit business since 2018,” it was added.
In Ogun State, 190kgs of cannabis were recovered from a dealer, Emmanuel Ibrahim, in Lafenwa Area of Abeokuta following credible intelligence.
Three suspects- Mohd Sani Alasan, Yusif Musa and Musa Musa- were arrested at Maidile area of Kano with 2,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
Another dealer, Bako Ibrahim (55), was also arrested last Saturday 4th February in Sharada area of Kano with 420 blocks of cannabis weighing 282kgs.
Another dealer of the same substance, Akeem Azeez (39), was nabbed with 612kgs recovered from him in Akure, Ondo state.
“Following a follow-up operation in Minna, Niger State, operatives of the Kogi State command of the agency now have in their custody a suspect, Michael Ikechukwu Ofili (30).
“The suspect was found to be in possession of a consignment containing 106,800 pills of tramadol sent to him from Onitsha, Anambra State, along the Okene-Lokoja Highway,” the released added.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has commended the commitment of the officers, men and women of the MMIA, Tincan, Bauchi, Delta, Gombe, Ogun, Kano, Ondo and Kogi states commands of the agency.
While appreciating them for their efforts towards ridding the country of the menace of illicit drugs, Marwa urged them and their compatriots across the country not to rest on their oars.
