NDLEA intercepts N4.5b worth of cocaine

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested notorious drug dealer Usman Abba, known by his alias “Timaya,” in Katsina state.

NDLEA, through its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed on Sunday that the 27-year-old, who had been on the agency’s watchlist, was apprehended on Wednesday, October 30, at the Liberty Hotel, Kofar Kaura.

Abba was caught in possession of Arizona, a potent strain of cannabis, during the operation, NDLEA claimed.

In a related development, NDLEA also disclosed that it foiled an attempt by an international drug syndicate operating between Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nigeria to smuggle 845 wraps of cocaine into Lagos.

NDLEA said the illicit drugs, weighing 18.72 kilograms and valued at N4.49 billion, were recovered from two lavatories of an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft during the post-landing cleaning of the cabin of flight ET900 from Addis Ababa to Lagos on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.

“The illicit drug consignments were wrapped in nine polythene bags and hidden in the waste collectors in the two rear lavatories of the aircraft, from where they were recovered after the MMIA Strategic Command of NDLEA was alerted about the strange objects. No fewer than 30 suspects have so far been grilled in connection with the seizure,” NDLEA said.

According to NDLEA investigations, the seized drugs were transported from Brazil to Ethiopia via ingestion and excreted in Addis Ababa by a group of couriers, while other traffickers picked them up and attempted to smuggle them into Nigeria via the Lagos airport before their attempt was foiled by the airline’s authorities and other airport stakeholders.

In a related development, NDLEA disclosed that its operatives blocked attempts by other syndicates to export 2.93 kilograms of cocaine, cannabis, and tramadol to Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

These drugs, concealed in body cream containers and pieces of artwork, were intercepted at courier companies in Lagos on October 28, 2024.

Meanwhile, at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 754, 000 pills of tapentadol and acetaminophen 225 mg worth N525,000,000 in a targeted and watch-listed container from India during a joint examination with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), NDLEA also added that its officers arrested 24-year-old Mujahid Hamisu on November 2 with 147,000 pills of tramadol, concealed in black nylon bags among plumbing materials.

Another suspect, Seun Abimbola, 47, was apprehended with 512 grammes of methamphetamine in the Giri junction area of Abuja.