NDLEA intercepts UK, Europe-bound cocaine, opioids in Lagos

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids at three courier firms in Lagos.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that the drugs were concealed in ladies’ sanitary pads and hair treatment cream containers.

Babafemi stated that the consignments were heading to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Cyprus, respectively.

According to him, in one of the logistics companies, not less than 30 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.1 kilograms 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, Sept. 3.

“Another consignment of 24 parcels of cocaine weighing 862 grams, also hidden in hair cream containers meant for delivery in the UK, was intercepted at the same company on Friday, Sept. 5.

In the same vein, 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 NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, Sept. 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, Sept. 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, Sept. 6,” he said.

In another development, no fewer than 550,000 pills of tramadol were also intercepted at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) in Port Harcourt on Monday, Sept. 2.

Babafemi said that 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.