The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, says it has intercepted no fewer than 442 parcels of crystal methamphetamine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, concealed in heads of fish and packed in cartons, ready for export to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The consignment weighing 11.90kg, was brought to the SAHCO area of the airport on August 5 by one Adekunle Oluwapelumi Paul, a freight agent from Kogi State.
Paul was promptly arrested once NDLEA operatives discovered that the seven cartons he presented for export contained parcels of the dangerous drug, wrapped in foil paper and concealed in the heads of hundreds of smoked catfish.
On August 6, the men and women of NDLEA at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, also intercepted another consignment containing 1.45kg cannabis, concealed inside granulated melon and crayfish and packed among other food condiments destined for Dubai, UAE.
NDLEA operatives were quick to arrest the freight agent who brought the cargo in for export – Ajisefini Lateef.
Meanwhile, at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, anti-narcotic officers arrested 50-year-old Mgbeobuna Victor Eberechukwu for ingesting 77 pellets of cocaine. He was arrested on August 6 on arrival from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
It the suspect, who hails from Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, four days to excrete the 77 wraps.
In Kaduna State, three suspects – Saifullahi Sani, Salisu Nafi’u and Abdulrazaq Mamman – were arrested in Zaria Thursday, August 11, with 1,112,350 tablets of Tramadol (225mg and 100mg) weighing 38.3kg, while in Kano, a female drug dealer – Saratu Abdullahi – from Wurno council area of the state was nabbed at Hotoro with 541 blocks of cannabis weighing 245kg.
The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, disclosed that operatives of the agency recovered 1,773.25kg cannabis sativa at Ebutte-Meta and Akala in Mushin area of Lagos in separate raid operations between 9th and 10th August 2022, while 86 parcels of cannabis indica (Colorado), weighing 43kg were recovered from a 40ft container during a joint examination with the customs and other security agencies at the Tincan Seaport in Lagos.
The consignment of illegal drugs seized on Friday, August 12, came from Toronto via Montreal, Canada, and was concealed in two drums inside a Mercedes Benz SUV in a container.
In a related development, two suspects: Nnanna Ijo and Orji Uguru were arrested in Abia State the same Friday with varying quantities of cannabis, heroin and cocaine at Nde-Agbai, Abiriba, a week after Nnanna was released from detention for a similar offence committed in June.
The NDLEA chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd), commended his officers in the affected airports and the agency’s commands in Kaduna, Kano, Lagos and Abia states for job well done.
He charged them and the Nigerian public to always remain steps ahead of the drug cartels.
