NDLEA seizes drugs in freezers, cylinders at Lagos airport

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 11.90 kilograms of heroin and 500 grams of skunk concealed in deep freezers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State.

The freezers were part of a cargo that arrived from South Africa on Tuesday, March 7 onboard Ethiopian Airline via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This was disclosed via a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.

Babafemi revealed that the NDLEA’s sniffer dogs were deployed to locate where the illicit drugs were hidden in the cargo, saying the dogs identified the cartons packed in the deep freezers.

He noted that four suspects that played active roles in the movement of the drugs and a truck driver have been arrested in connection with the seizure.

The NDLEA spokesman listed the arrested suspects to include Dairo Quam, Oluwaseun Ogunmene, Adeleke Abdulrasaq, Bamidele Adewale, and Oluwafemi Ogunmeru.

Babafemi disclosed that the NDLEA operatives attached to the Gate C departure hall of the Lagos airport, on Thursday, also intercepted a passenger, Aigbedion Philomena, heading to Italy via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airline flight.

He said when the suspect’s bags containing body cream, hair attachments, drinks, and some food items were searched, a total of 1.20kg tramadol capsules concealed inside gift wrapping sheet and covered with old daily newspapers were discovered by the officers of the anti-drug agency.

Babafemi added that the NDLEA operatives while acting on intelligence on Thursday, March 9, intercepted a commercial Toyota Camry Salon Car with reg. number JJJ 756 HB (Lagos) along Ilase-Akoko road, Idiroko with 34 compressed jumbo-size wraps of imported skunk weighing 17kg and concealed in two cooking gas cylinders.

The NDLEA spokesman said two suspects in the car, Benjamin Ajose, 48, and 37-year-old Oluwatobiloba Ajayi, were arrested.

Speaking on the arrests and seizures, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers of the anti-drug agency for their diligence and commitment to work.

Marwa also charged them and their compatriots across other commands not to rest on their oars.

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