The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday said it has intercepted a consignment of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids at three courier firms in Lagos. It also destroyed over 100,000 Kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, otherwise known as Indian Hemp, in Ekiti forest.
Its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the drugs were concealed in ladies’ sanitary pads and hair treatment cream containers.
He added that the consignments were heading to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Cyprus respectively.
In one of the logistics companies, Babafemi said, not less than 30 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.1 kilogrammes were concealed in hair cream containers.
“They were recovered by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, (DOGI), during an examination of cargoes going to Ireland on Tuesday, September. 3
“Another consignment of 24 parcels of cocaine weighing 862 grams also hidden in hair cream containers meant for delivery in the United Kingdom was equally intercepted at the same company on Friday, September 5.
In the same vein, he said a total of 525 pills of tramadol 225mg and ecstasy (MDMA) concealed in ladies’ sanitary pads going to Cyprus were seized at another courier firm in Lagos by the drug law operatives on Tuesday, September 3.
Meanwhile, a shipment of 200 ampoules of promethazine injection and pentazocine injection hidden in food items and herbs heading to London, UK, was also seized by operatives on Wednesday, September 4
“Operatives equally intercepted another consignment of tramadol 225mg buried in granulated melon that came from Cameroon and was going to South Africa on Friday 6th September,” he said.
In another development, no fewer than 550,000 pills of tramadol were also intercepted at the Port Harcourt International Airport, (PHIA) Port Harcourt on Monday, September 2.
According to Babafemi, the tramadol pills were seized during a joint examination of a cargo that came from Delhi, India, with men of the Nigerian Customs Service. “A suspect was already arrested in connection with the seizure,” he said.
The Agency also said it destroyed over 100,000kg of cannabis spread across 51 hectares of farmland in Ekiti State.
Babafemi said the NDLEA operatives, supported by men of the Nigerian Army on September 3 and September 4 stormed three camps inside the Ise-Ekiti forest reserve, in the Ise/Orun Local Government Area of the state.
The affected areas, he said, included Aba Saalaja with 23 hectares; Aba Paanu with 12 hectares, and Aba Arogunmatidi with 16 hectares, all within the Ise-Ekiti forest reserve, adding that two suspects were arrested on the Toro-Jos Road, Kaduna, with 305kg cannabis (Indian hemp) concealed in a false compartment of a J5 boxer bus marked YLA 682 XM.
Another suspect, Babafemi said, was arrested in possession of 18 kilogrammes of the same substance at Makarfi town. “Two other suspects others: were arrested on the Zaria- Kaduna highway in possession of 1300 tablets of Tramadol, all the same day,” he said.
Also, in Jigawa State, Babafemi said a 30-year-old man was nabbed with 32.6kg of cannabis (Indian hemp) on September 5 at Koran Shehu, adding that operatives in Kogi on September 4 intercepted 77,300 pills of Tramadol, Diazepam and Exol-5 with 1,230 bottles of Codeine in a commercial bus driven by Attai Okolo, 68, along Aloma – Ejule road, Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
“Another was nabbed on the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway on Tuesday, September 3, with 42.400kg cannabis (Indian hemp) coming from Lagos en route Kano.
“NDLEA operatives in Borno arrested a 40-year-old man at Ramat area of Maiduguri on Thursday, Sept. 5 with 13,100 pills of Tramadol.
“Also, operatives in Kano on Sept. 4 nabbed a man with 25.8kg cannabis and 3,000 pills of Diazepam along Kano – Daura Road,” he said.
The NDLEA spokesman said that no fewer than 87,790 pills of Tramadol were recovered from Musa Adamu, 30 when he was arrested in Zing, Taraba State.
Babafemi said a raid on the home of a drug kingpin, Mayowa Abayomi Awe (a.k.a Bishop) in Ilesa, Osun state on September 4 led to the seizure of 43grammes of crack cocaine, 23grams of Methamphetamine, 17.126kg cannabis and a locally made pistol.
