The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 12 large parcels of cocaine destined for the United Kingdom via a Virgin Atlantic flight from Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
A statement by NDLEA spokesman Mr. Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja said the drugs were concealed in the false bottoms of food flasks.
The cocaine consignment, with a gross weight of 2.80 kilograms, was intercepted on Thursday, April 16, by NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport export shed. Two cargo agents involved in the export bid were swiftly arrested.
“Further investigation revealed a 52-year-old freight and forwarding agent as the sender of the consignment, and he was arrested in a follow-up operation,” Babafemi said.
In a similar operation, NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport import shed on April 8 intercepted a consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis. The 2.90-kilogram shipment, concealed in snack food packs, arrived from the United States aboard a Delta Airlines flight.
“Two cargo clearing agents were initially arrested in connection with the seizure before the consignee, a 29-year-old fashion designer, was nabbed in a follow-up operation at 3 Oba Ogunji Road, Ogba, Lagos,” he said.
On another front, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Kaduna-Zaria highway intercepted a trailer conveying cement to Hadeja, Jigawa State. A search revealed 760 blocks and 33 jumbo bags of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 847 kilograms. The truck driver was arrested.
Meanwhile, a 53-year-old female suspect was arrested on Thursday when NDLEA officers, supported by soldiers, raided a forest in Uwet community, Akamkpa LGA, Cross River State. Fifteen thousand kilograms of skunk on six hectares of farmland were destroyed, and 119 kilograms were recovered.
“Another cannabis farm was raided on Tuesday at Saboro Camp, Ovia North East LGA, Edo State, where 2,281.43 kilograms of the substance were destroyed. Three suspects were arrested, with two others caught with 38.5 kilograms of cannabis and its seeds,” Babafemi added.
“Another two suspects were nabbed with 87.838 kilograms of skunk and seeds at Powerline area, Okwo, Delta State, on Friday, April 17,” he said.
In a separate incident, two suspects were arrested on Wednesday at Mile 2, Lagos/Badagry Expressway, Lagos, for drug trafficking. They were transporting 11,900 tramadol capsules and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injections to Ghana.
The same day, NDLEA operatives raided a two-storey building at Petti, Lagos Island, and recovered 95.8 kilograms of skunk.
Across the country, NDLEA commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities. These included lectures for students and staff at Alfurgan Islamic School (Paiko, Niger State), Edgerly Memorial Girls Secondary School (Calabar, Cross River), Heritage Model School (Ankpa, Kogi), Government Day Junior and Senior Secondary School (Kankia, Katsina), Government Senior Secondary School (Rano, Kano), and De Ambassador Secondary School (Epe, Lagos).
NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, commended officers of MMIA, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Kaduna, and Lagos commands for their arrests and seizures. He praised their drug supply reduction efforts alongside WADA sensitisation activities and urged them to maintain the current momentum.
