The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized illicit shipments of cocaine and Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, concealed in incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves and ladies’ native wears at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
Its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who said some suspects were also arrested, indicated this was a blow to the frantic bid of drug syndicates and some courier firms in Lagos to smuggle drugs.
Babafemi, in a statement yesterday, said a businessman, Abdulwahab Owolabi Alebiosu was on July 18, 2024 arrested at his Horizon Court, Lekki, Lagos residence after a consignment of 40 parcels of Loud weighing 20.30 kilogrammes hidden in packs of chessboards, scrabbles, checkers, and poker set, brought in from Canada on a British Airways flight was intercepted at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport during a joint examination of the cargo with men of Customs Service. …CONTINUE READING
He said a search of his home also led to the recovery of more exhibits, including some drug paraphernalia, such as weighing scale, and cannabis potency test kit, while four vaping machines were recovered from his business premises on Admiralty Way, Lekki.
Babafemi said a Mikano black truck with registration number FST 657 HP was also recovered from his house.
He said in the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA on July 19 intercepted two jumbo bags going to Pakistan.
He said the bags contained dried hibiscus leaves, dried bitter leaves and other food items, which were used to conceal four parcels of cocaine and 14 parcels of Loud, both weighing 1.360kg.
According to the statement, further investigations led to the arrest of a businesswoman, Eze Queen Ogechi who claimed she was sending the illicit consignment to Pakistan on the instruction of her brother, Eze Nnamdi Promise based in the South Asia country.
Babafemi said also at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives attached to Terminal II, Departure Gate of the MMIA, intercepted a male Beninese passenger, Orobi Adoubi Amen, who was travelling with a bag containing some female native dresses.
He said the suspect was going to Dubai via Accra, Ghana on an Air Peace Airline flight and a connecting flight to Dubai, UAE on Emirates Airline.
The spokesman said the bag had eight parcels of Loud weighing 2.10kg concealed in the ladies’ native clothes.
The statement indicated that the suspect claimed he was given the consignment for a fee of N600,000 on delivery in Dubai.
Babafemi said not less than 4.5kg of the same substance concealed inside the door panels and boot of an imported Toyota RAV 4 vehicle was on July 14 recovered from a container marked MSDU 5656394 from Canada during a 100 per cent search of the container at Tincan port in Lagos.
He said two suspects – Dada Kole and Alaba Oladewusi – had been arrested.
Babafemi also said a 48-year-old one legged man, Amadu Garba was arrested by NDLEA operatives in his house at Yawuri town, Kebbi State with six bags of cannabis weighing 67kg on July 16.
The statement reads: “In Abuja, two suspects: 60-year-old Ademola Elusakin and 34-year-old Nuhu Friday Adamu – were arrested by NDLEA operatives on Monday 15th July with 30kg of the same psychoactive substance along Kwali-Gwagwalada-Abuja Expressway on their way from Lagos to Nasarawa State.
“Elusakin claimed he procured the consignment from Ghana via Lagos with Keffi, Nasarawa State as his final destination, where they were to supply illegal miners operating in the area.
“At least, 305 blocks of cannabis weighing 152.5kg were recovered from a suspect, Sale Bukar, 39, who was arrested at Geidam in Yobe State on Sunday 14th July while taking the illicit consignment to Diffa, in Niger Republic.
“While a suspect: Aham Regal Chinemeze, 43, was nabbed on Thursday 18th July with 60kg of same substance along Owerri – Onitsha expressway, Imo state, Adamu Abdullahi, 24, was arrested with 40.500kg on Wednesday 17th July along Obajana -Kabba expressway, Kogi state.
“The consignment was recovered from him in a commercial bus coming from Lagos enroute Kano.
In Plateau State, a raid on the storehouse of a notorious drug dealer, Choji Gyang (aka Pararam) who is at large, at Rukuba road, Jos led to the recovery of 34 bags of cannabis weighing 312kg while his manager, Kelvin Onwutalu, 43, was arrested.
“Two suspects: Ifabiyi Johnson, 27, and Adeleke Musiliu, 54, were on Friday 19th July arrested with different strains of cannabis sativa weighing 30.4kg during a raid in Osogbo, Osun State.’’
