NDLEA nabs auto parts dealer, woman over UK-bound opioids, cocaine

Intercepts 2.4m tramadol pills, arrests two behind cocaine shipment to Vietnam

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested an Ibadan, Oyo State businesswoman, Mrs Adewunmi Adebola Dorcas and an auto parts dealer, Arinze Ora, over attempts to export consignments of opioids and cocaine to London, United Kingdom and Congo Brazzaville respectively.

Officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) export shed in Lagos intercepted a cargo going to the United Kingdom on Friday, September 6.

In a statement yesterday, the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the development.

A consignment search revealed 924 bottles of codeine-based syrup weighing 135.70kg and 5,250 tablets of Rohypnol hidden in cartons of foodstuffs.

According to him, the freight agent, Owojori Olanrewaju Sunday, who presented the cargo for export, was promptly arrested. He stressed that further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect, Adewunmi Akeem Temitope, who claimed that his mother, 58-year-old Adewunmi Adebola Dorcas, sent the consignment to him from Ibadan to deliver to the agent.

Also, on Wednesday, September 11, operatives at the same export shed of the Lagos airport intercepted some cartons of auto spare parts and custard powder going to Congo Brazzaville on Ethiopian Airlines.

A diligent search of the cargo led to the discovery of 300 grammes of cocaine concealed in the containers of custard powder packed together with some auto parts.

A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the consignment’s sender, Arinze Ora, who deals in auto parts at Shop 12, Block 7 Aspanda Trade Fair Auto Parts Wing, in the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.

Operatives on Tuesday, September 10, arrested two brothers, Ikechukwu Ikeabba and Ugochukwu Ikeabba, who are sponsors of traffickers who export drugs by ingestion.

Their arrest followed an earlier arrest of an Onitsha, Anambra State based-businessman, Ibeanusi Solomon Nosike, who excreted 68 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.282 kilogrammes after 12 days of observation. He was arrested at the local wing of the Lagos airport by NDLEA operatives.

Authorities in Gombe State also arrested three suspects, Auwal Abdullahi, Isah Rabiu, and Abubakar Da’u, on Saturday, September 14. They were travelling in a DAF truck with the number plate GME 552 ZU. A search of the vehicle led to the seizure of 2.4 million pills of tramadol concealed in bags of salt.