NDLEA seizes drugs concealed in imported cars, Saudi-bound cocaine

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have foiled an attempt to smuggle into Lagos 24kg cannabis indica concealed in imported used cars from Canada.

The NDLEA operatives, who seized the illicit substance on Thursday, May 11, during a joint examination of a container marked: MSMU 7412069, at the Prime Connection Bonded terminal, along the Oshodi-Apapa expressway in Lagos, arrested two clearing agents linked with the container.

The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who made the disclosure via a statement issued and made available to The Star on Sunday, May 14, listed the arrested suspects to include Chief G.O. Njokwu and Christopher Obialor.

Babafemi added that the operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) attached to courier firms also intercepted a Saudi Arabia-bound 398 grams of cocaine hidden in native dresses during outward clearance of goods.

He revealed that a female suspect, Fatima Hassan, was arrested on Friday, May 12, in the Agege area of Lagos with 33.5kg of cannabis sativa.

The NDLEA spokesperson disclosed that 44kg of the same substance was recovered same day from the Lagos Island warehouse of a fleeing drug dealer.

He added: “The previous day, Thursday 11th May, another suspect, Peter Joseph, was arrested along Lagos-Ibadan expressway with 10,000 pills of Tramadol 250mg and 1,500 tablets of Rohypnol concealed inside his Toyota Sienna vehicle, with registration number NRK 961XB.

“Similarly, a total of 68,300 pills of various opioids mainly tramadol were recovered from one Bello Nasiru Usman when the truck conveying the illicit drugs was intercepted in Awka, Anambra state.

“In the same vein, 460,000mls of Akuskura in 7,800 bottles were seized from a dealer, Mohammed Kyari, 42, when he was arrested in Gamboru Ngala town, Jere LGA, Borno on Wednesday 10th May.

“While NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers raided the hideout of a notorious drug dealer, Jimoh Lekan (aka ‘komokomo’) in Owode, Ogun State where 134kg cannabis was recovered from his store on Thursday 11th May, their counterparts in Plateau State on Tuesday 9th May arrested a suspect Bashir Usman, 32, at the Gangare Area of Jos, with 43.951kg of cannabis.”

Reacting, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), urged the officers of the anti-drug agency and their peers across the country to intensify their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.

The Star

Segun Ojo