NDLEA recovers multi-billion-naira drugs in nationwide raids

• Seizes U.S., UK-bound consignments in auto parts, clothes, arrests four

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in a nationwide intelligence, have recovered multi-billion-naira worth of cocaine. The operatives recovered 2.32kg of cocaine concealed in Ghanaian traditional kente materials going to the United Kingdom at a courier firm in Lagos on Monday, August 5.

Also, 10.494kg of the same class-A drug buried in heavy-duty pivot shafts heading to the United States were recovered at the same logistics company after NDLEA sniffer dogs fished out the automobile spare parts containing the illicit drug, bringing the total weight of cocaine seized in the two shipments to 12.814kg.

The spokesperson for the anti-drug agency, Femi Babafemi, who confirmed the development in a statement yesterday, said five other consignments going to the U.S., UK and Canada were also intercepted at the courier firm in Lagos on Friday, August 9.

They include 517gm of cocaine in clothing materials, different quantities of pentazocine injection, promethazine injection and cocodamol pills, all heading to the UK, as well as 297 pills of tramadol 225mg going to Canada.

In a different logistics company in Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 21 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 10kg, coming from the U.S. and meant for delivery in Abuja.

In another intelligence-led operation, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, August 7, arrested a member of a cocaine trafficking network, Obiora Joseph Agudosi, at Alafia Orile, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos while attempting to move 9.00kg of cocaine to Onitsha, Anambra State.

Two members of another cocaine syndicate based in Nnewi and Oba town, Anambra State, were also arrested on Thursday, August 8, in a follow-up operation following the seizure of their consignments in a transport company bus at Benin, Edo State, the same day.

While the bus driver, Harrison Mbachu, 44, was arrested at Benin tollgate with a total of 2.865kg of cocaine, Izuchkwu Arinze, 40, was picked up at Nnewi town while attempting to collect his consignment of 1.748kg of cocaine and 514gm of sodium bicarbonate. Ameachi Okoro, 39, was arrested while trying to pick his own 1.117kg of cocaine at Oba town.

Also, NDLEA operatives at Tincan seaport Lagos on Wednesday, August 7, intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 265.25kg, in a black Toyota Sienna bus, which was one of the three vehicles in a container marked MSMU 6029570 coming from Montreal, Canada.

The seizure was made during a 100 per cent joint examination with Customs Service men and other stakeholders.

The following day (Thursday, August 8), the operatives recorded another seizure of 75 parcels of the same substance weighing 37.5kg in a container marked FSCU-9274613 from Canada.

In Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives on Thursday, August 8, with the support of the men of Operation Farauta Sector 3, Mayo Belwa, arrested 49-year-old Joseph Peter with 425 compressed blocks of Cannabis sativa weighing 291.200kg in his Toyota Camry car marked Lagos KSF 381 HM.

He claimed he had brought the consignment from Edo State to deliver to Yola, Adamawa State. Two suspects, Adekunle Sunday Adebayo, 50, and Yahaya Mamuda, 35, were arrested at the Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Tuesday, August 6, with 29.5kg of cannabis.

NDLEA operatives in Lagos recovered 1,169kg of the same psychoactive substance from a bus along Orchid Road, Ajah, on Sunday, August 4. About 1,230.00kg of cannabis was destroyed on three hectares of farmland at Ikeje forest, Edimogo village, Igalamela/Odolu Local Council, Kogi State, on Friday, August 9, by NDLEA officers supported by men of the Nigerian Army while the owner, Danjuma Maji, 40, was arrested.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) commended the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, Tincan, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Kogi, and Adamawa Commands, as well as those of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations for the arrests and seizures. He urged them and their compatriots across the country to continue with their current approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.