NDLEA arrests two pregnant women, barber for drug trafficking at Lagos airport
•Intercepts large consignments of drugs in Kaduna, Yobe, Plateau
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested two pregnant women among other drug traffickers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos for attempting to import and export illicit drugs through the airport.
The first suspect arrested was a Brazilian returnee, Nworie Phillip Chikwendu, who was picked on Tuesday, May 3, during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil en route Doha to Lagos.
During a thorough search of his luggage, two parcels of cocaine were discovered in a pair of brown slippers hidden in his oxblood backpack.
Spokesperson for the agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement yesterday, said a further search of the pair of black slippers worn by the suspect, also led to the recovery of additional two parcels of cocaine built into the soles of his footwear, bringing the total to four parcels weighing 800 grammes.
Babafemi said during a preliminary interview, Nworie who claimed to be a barber in Sao Paulo, said he came to Nigeria for the burial of his father.
“He confessed he decided to get into the criminal act because his trip was sponsored by his Brazil-based friend who gave him the drug to deliver in Lagos for a fee of N2 million.
“The following day, Wednesday, May 4, NDLEA operatives at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) export shed of the airport, intercepted some cartons of alcoholic drinks suspected to contain illicit drugs.
“A freight agent, who brought the consignment for export to Dubai, United Arab Emirate UAE), Shola Ogunrinde, was immediately arrested, while a follow-up operation led to the arrest of a pregnant woman, Mrs. Seun Babatunde, who operates an alcohol joint in Pleasure area of Iyana Ipaja.
“When the cartons were opened in the presence of the agent and the pregnant owner, seven parcels of cannabis and a sachet of ecstasy drug (MDMA) were found concealed inside cans of black bullet alcoholic drinks.
“In her confession, Mrs. Babatunde, claimed the drugs were being sent to her husband who lives in Dubai.
“The second pregnant woman, Mrs. Gloria Asibor was arrested on Thursday, May 5, while attempting to board a Turkish Airline flight to Bolonia, Spain via Istanbul, Turkey. A search of her luggage containing food items led to the discovery of 300 tablets of 200mg and 225mg high dosage Tramadol concealed in crayfish,” Babafemi added.
MEANWHILE, operatives of the antinarcotic agency have intercepted large consignments of psychoactive substances in parts of Northwest, Northeast and Northcentral.
In Kaduna, a drug dealer, Obinna Anene a.k.a Young Alhaji was arrested on Friday, May 6 at Buwaya Kaduna with 50,000 tablets of Diazepam weighing 9kg; 595 tablets of tramadol weighing 318 grammes and eight tablets of Co-codamol weighing six grammes.
Same day, a trafficker, Alhaji Modu Yahaya, was caught with 26.5kg cannabis in Damaturu, Yobe State, while travelling in a commercial vehicle from Abuja to Maiduguri, Borno State.
ALSO, no fewer than nine drug dealers were arrested by operatives in Lagos on Thursday, May 5, during raids in black spots in Mushin Olosha and Alaka as well as Langbasa and Ikota in Ajah area of the state with different quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and skuchies.
That arrested include; Kehinde Ilori; Osho Demola Nurudeen; Kamarudeen Isiaka; Kazeem Ishola; Afeez Adebolade; Oguntana Aduragbemi; Chuks Alowai; Mrs. Bola Kazeem and Kehinde Ogunleye
In Plateau, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, May 7, intercepted a truck carrying 673.3kg cannabis along Bassa/Rukuba Barracks road in Jos, while the driver and his assistant fled into the bush.
In other parts of the state capital, two dealers; Manga Emmanuel and Yusuf Usman, were arrested with 34 pinches of cocaine and 400 grammes of cannabis at old airport and Rikkos respectively.
MEANWHILE, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd), has commended the officers and men of the affected commands for the arrests and seizures.
He charged them and those in other commands across the country to sustain the heat on drug cartels as well as balance their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
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