By Ibironke Ariyo
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recovered several consignments of cannabis, tramadol, methamphetamine and other psychotropic substances in operations in Lagos, Adamawa, Ondo, Kaduna, Bauchi, Ekiti, Kogi, Taraba and Enugu states.
The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement yesterday in Abuja.
Giving the breakdown, Babafemi said in Adamawa State, the NDLEA operatives on patrol along Damilu and Jambutu axis in Jimeta, Yola North Local Government Area (LGA) on Friday recovered 864,000 pills of opioids.
These, he said, were especially tramadol from a residence linked to a fleeing suspect whose Honda civic car rammed an NDLEA patrol vehicle before he escaped.
In another interdiction operation in the Michika area of the state, a major methamphetamine supplier from Lagos to Mubi and Michika axis was arrested last Friday, with 2kg of the dangerous substance.
Babafemi said another suspect was intercepted with 750,027,530 pills of tramadol and other opioids concealed in a soap-laden Ford Galaxy bus marked JJM-953XD at Namtari check point on August 31.
He said in Lagos, the NDLEA operatives last Friday, recovered 2,386.9kg of cannabis, 350grams of cocaine, over 100kg of assorted tramadol grades, 9.7 litres of codeine syrup and 4kg of rohypnol at Gbaji area of the state.
Similarly, Babafemi said two suspects were arrested with 720kg of cannabis at Agbara area of the state.
In another development, three suspects were nabbed with 636kg of cannabis concealed in chicken manure aboard a bus travelling from Owo in Ondo to Jos, Plateau along Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State.
Again, in Taraba State, a 58-year-old suspected drug trafficker was arrested along Zaki-Biam road in Wukari LGA with a cocktail of over 109kg of tramadol, diazepam, pentazocine, phenobarbital, exol-5, nitrazepam, bromazepam and pregabalin.
“It was being conveyed in his Toyota Corolla car marked KUJ-333BT from Onitsha, Anambra state to Yola, Adamawa state,” he said.
In the same vein, a truck loaded with bags of cement was intercepted by the NDLEA operatives along the Zaria-Kano expressway with 1,179kg of skunk recovered.
Babafemi said a suspect was also arrested by NDLEA operatives in Bauchi in a follow up operation following the seizure of 322.5kg of cannabis at Deba town, Gombe State last Tuesday.
Additionally, in Ekiti State, two suspects were arrested after the NDLEA operatives uncovered and destroyed a 4-hectare cannabis farm in Efon-Alaaye forest, recovering 117kg of already-harvested skunk.
Babafemi said last Saturday, a 20-year-old suspected drug peddler was arrested at Ugbema Junction, Enugu with 40,590 capsules of tramadol.
In another development, the NDLEA said it has arrested a convicted cocaine trafficker, who allegedly disguised himself as a herbal tea merchant, in a coordinated operation across the country.
According to Babafemi, the suspect was behind the shipment of cocaine to Saudi Arabia through Lagos, adding that the arrests followed the interception of a 1.2kg cocaine consignment concealed in phone chargers and destined for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at a courier company in Lagos on July 31.
He said operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) in the NDLEA successfully tracked the mastermind through painstaking intelligence-led operations.
“The suspect was arrested in a sting operation at Article Market, opposite Trade Fair Market, Ojo area of Lagos, on Friday, September 4, while posing as a herbal tea businessman.
“The suspect was identified as a 34-year-old man. In his statement, he admitted being the mastermind of some illicit drug shipments in the past.
“The suspect also stated that he discarded his telephone SIM card once he learnt his latest consignment had been intercepted by the NDLEA,”he said.
Babafemi further said investigation revealed the suspect was no stranger to the agency, adding that he was first arrested in 2011 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.
This, he said, was after ingesting 900grams of cocaine and 130grams of heroin in an attempt to fly to Austria under the name Dunu Chukwuyenre Enoch.
“He was prosecuted for the crime, convicted and sentenced to five years in jail. He, thereafter, changed his name to Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu and returned to the criminal trade.
“A search of his residence located at 6 Yemishola Street, Ejigbo, Lagos on Friday, September 4 led to the recovery of phone chargers similar to those used to conceal the intercepted cocaine, with their internal components removed to create space for drugs,” he said.
The NDLEA Chairman, Brig.- Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) commended the officers and men of DOGI, MMIA and Lagos commands for their professionalism and intelligence-driven approach to the various successful operations.
He enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the current balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.
He reiterated that traffickers who believe they can reinvent themselves under new identities or legitimate business fronts will continue to be tracked down. (NAN)
