NDLEA nabs grandpa for shipping illicit drugs to daughter in Dubai
Intercepts 2.3million tabs of opioids en route northern states
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested a major importer of Loud variant of cannabis from the United States, Abibu Afis Sola and a 63-year-old grandfather, Afolabi Abideen Kolawole, who ships illicit substances to his daughter in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Sola was arrested with others at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.
He was arrested in connection with a 19.30kg Colorado consignment from Los Angeles, USA, which was intercepted on June 30, at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) cargo import shed of the Lagos airport.
NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, in a statement, yesterday, said a 37.1kg consignment of Loud intercepted on July 7 was also traced to Sola, while he was still being interviewed in custody.
But Kolawole, the 63-year-old grandfather behind an intercepted drug exhibit going to Dubai, on August 4, was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, August 18 after more than four sets of arrests eventually unravelled him.
The grand pa confessed that he was responsible for the concealment and packaging of the cannabis inside the black native soap used as a mode of concealment.
He also admitted this was his second attempt at sending such illicit substances to his daughter, Barakat, in Dubai.
ALSO, about a 2.3million tablets of illicit pharmaceutical opioids and other psychoactive substances are meant for distribution in seven Northern states of Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, Gombe and Nasarawa have been intercepted by NDLEA’s operatives in series of interdiction operations in the past week.
In all, a total of 2.32 million tablets and capsules of tramadol, pregabalin, hypnox, diazepam and exol-5 including 7, 353 bottles of a new psychoactive substance locally called Akuskura, meant for the seven states were seized from locations across Kaduna, Kogi, Sokoto, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In Kaduna State, a drug dealer Umar Sanusi was arrested on Friday, August 12, during a follow-up operation in Kano and brought back to Kaduna where his consignment of 50 cartons of pregabalin 300mg, containing 750,000 capsules, weighing 375kgs, earlier seized along Abuja-Kaduna expressway was counted and weighed in his presence.
The same day, operatives also intercepted along Abuja-Kaduna express road 7,068 bottles of a new dangerous substance of abuse called Akuskura meant for Kaduna, Zamfara, Gombe, Kano and Borno.
The recipients were arrested in Kaduna and Zamfara during follow-up operations. The following day, Saturday, August 13, 285 bottles of the NPS were recovered from a dealer, Abubakar Ahmad, along the same highway.
In Kogi State, about 696,000 tablets of tramadol and exol-5 among others loaded into a truck at Onitsha, Anambra State and heading to Maiduguri, Borno State, were seized along Okene-Abuja Expressway on Friday, August 19, while NDLEA operatives also recovered 300,000 tablets of diazepam from a suspect, Faruku Bello, 30, in Sokoto State on Wednesday, August 17.
Also, anti-narcotic officers of the agency in Abuja, FCT at the weekend, equally intercepted a bus loaded with 323, 200 tablets of tramadol 225mg and others at Onitsha, Anambra State heading to Nasarawa State. The driver of the vehicle, Osita Nwobodo, 45, who made fruitless bids to compromise the operatives have also been arrested.
A freight agent, Miss Njoko Elizabeth, 37, was also arrested for attempting to export 250grammes of tramadol and cannabis to Dubai through the NAHCO export shed.
The drug exhibits were concealed inside some gallons of palm oil and honey, which were packed among food items and hair attachments.
Also at the Lagos airport, 249,600 tablets of tramadol 225mg have been recovered from a shipment from India at Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) import shed of the MMIA.
The consignment, which arrived from India via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airline flight on August 4 was eventually evacuated on Wednesday, August 17 as an abandoned seizure.
SIMILARLY, an Italy-bound passenger, Oziengbe Ehighalua Andrew, 55, was on Friday, August 19, arrested with 600 grammes of tramadol 200mg, while attempting to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Italy, via Casablanca.
In the same vein, seven cartons of khat leaf with a total weight of 295kg have been seized at the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport. The consignment came into Nigeria from Tanzania through Cairo on Egypt Air.
Operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation (DOGI), in NDLEA, attached to courier firms have intercepted 11.36kg heroin and cannabis packaged for UAE, Netherlands and Omar. The drugs were concealed in dictionaries, fancy light and body cream.
In Niger State, 139 bags and 176 compressed blocks of cannabis loaded in Ogere, Ogun State and heading to Zaria, Kaduna State were seized by NDLEA operatives along Abuja-Kaduna road, Suleja, from a company vehicle while the driver, Sani Mohammed, 44, and his assistant, Abubakar Abubakar, 30, were arrested.
Also, raids carried out in Akala, Mushin area of Lagos also led to the arrest of Pelumi Goodness and Ola Funke, while over 1,171.75kg cannabis and 29 litres of codeine syrup were recovered.
MEANWHILE, the chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd), has commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Kaduna, Kogi, Sokoto, and FCT Commands as well as DOGI for the arrests and seizures. He urged them and their compatriots across the country to intensify their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Related
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.