The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday said it has intercepted a shipment of 46 wraps of cocaine weighing 547 grams hidden in body cream going to Saudi Arabia.
A statement by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi yesterday in Abuja, said the intervention came barely a week after NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) uncovered 20 parcels of cocaine.
These, he said, were concealed inside religious books going to Saudi Arabia at a logistics company in Lagos. “The recent seizure was made on Wednesday, April 23 at a courier firm in Lagos.
“Another consignment intercepted the same day includes: 1.8kg pentazocine injection and 60 grams bromazepam tablets heading to Canada,” he said.
Meanwhile, at the Seme border area of Badagry Lagos, three Ghanaian ladies were on April 20 arrested at the Gbaji checkpoint by the NDLEA operatives.
Babafemi said they were arrested while attempting to smuggle a combined 4.8kilogrammes of Ghana Loud, a strong strain of cannabis into Nigeria. “The suspects arrested include: Haziza Zubairu, 42; Samirat Mustapha, 43; and Jamila Salifu, 26,” he said.
In another development, in Kano, a 60-year-old grandma, Safiya Shamsu was on April 25 nabbed at Samegu area of Kumbotso LGA with 5.6kg skunk, a strain of cannabis.
Babafemi said another suspect Muntari Labaran, 35, was taken into custody following the seizure of 100 litres of codeine syrup from him at the Yelwa area of Dala LGA.
“A total of 3,814.9kg skunk was destroyed on two farms in Ugbodu community, Ovia North East LGA, Edo state on April 24.
“This happened when NDLEA operatives raided the plantations where three suspects: Samuel Samson, 26; Daniel Peter, 20; and Abel Edah, 31, were arrested,” he said.
The War Against Drug Abuse, (WADA), social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
Some of them include the sensitisation lecture delivered to students and staff of Dan-Doro Community Arabic Secondary School, Doro, Katsina state and St. James Anglican School, Badariya, Kebbi state as well as Federal Government Girls College, Tambuwal, Sokoto.
“Others are members of Oganiru age grade, Onitsha, Anambra, while the Lagos State Strategic Command of NDLEA paid WADA advocacy visit to the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, HRM Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi, among others,” Babafemi said.
In another development, the NDLEA said it has raided an 80-room new hotel used as cover for distributing illicit substances in Victoria Island, Lagos, and recovered 598 bags of Canadian Loud.
According to Babafemi, the drugs recovered was with a total weight of 417.3 kilogrammes worth N1.04 billion in street value.
Babafemi said three suspects – Eze Ayitu, Ofuokwu Samuel and Emmanuel Ameh were arrested in the course of the operation at the five-storey hotel building between April 25 and April 26.
He said two other suspects, Noble Philip and his partner Kenneth were currently at large.
“Items suspected to be proceeds of illicit drug trade recovered from the premises include Toyota Prado Land cruiser Jeep (Lagos AKD 472 OZ); Toyota Sienna Vehicle (Lagos KJA 79 HJ).
“Others are Volkswagen Delivery Van (Lagos AAA 525 JE); Kia Ceranto Car (Lagos BDG 860 GQ); Grand Caravan Dodge (Lagos APP 847 YF); 74 new TV sets; 10 used TV sets; and 13 refrigerators, among others,” he said.
In another major interdiction in Jigawa State with a follow up operation in Kano, the NDLEA operatives, acting on intelligence last Wednesday seized consignments of opioids.
Babafemi said they were being moved from Kano to Niger Republic and Yobe through Jigawa State, adding that the psychoactive substances were being moved in a Toyota Sienna vehicle marked ABJ 182 NW when anti-narcotic officers on patrol intercepted the vehicle with two suspects, Abba Ibrahim, 28, and Shuaibu Umar.
“Recovered from the Sienna vehicle were 200,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 217,500 capsules of pregabalin.
“A swift follow up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the supplier, 41-year-old Jamilu Muhammad, at his residence located at Mil Tara, Layin Technical area of Kano.
“Also, an additional 1,584,000 pills of tramadol 250mg stacked inside a Nissan 18-seater bus marked DAL 372 XA and a room in his house were discovered and evacuated.
“This brings the total number of the recovered opioids to 2,001,500 pills,” he added.
Babafemi said the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd) has commended the officers and men of Lagos, Kano and Jigawa commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures.
