A consignment of heroin worth N4.5 billion concealed in packs of Nestle Cerelac baby food has been intercepted by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The 22 blocks of heroin weighing 23.55kilograms were intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The consignment came from Johannesburg, South Africa on board South African Airways flight on Wednesday 29th June as part of a consolidated cargo that arrived the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport.

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday stated that after series of follow up operations that led to the arrest of two freight agents, the actual receiver of the drug consignment, Chike Okeke Eweni who distributes the substance for his South Africa-based partner was arrested the following day, Thursday 30th June at a logistics warehouse in Ajao Estate, Ikeja.

Chike, who hails from Anaocha LGA, Anambra State claims during preliminary interview that he’s also into fish farming.

Operatives also on Thursday 30th June intercepted an inbound consignment of khat leaves, which arrived the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport on Royal Air Maroc flight from the Middle East.

A total of 71 cartons of dried khat leaves with a gross weight of 2,434.3 kg were discovered in the cargo.

In the same vein, anti-narcotic officers of the Agency also last Thursday seized 36 parcels of Colorado, a variant of cannabis with a total weight of 19.30kg which arrived the NAHCO import shed from Los Angeles, US on a Delta Airlines flight.

After series of follow up operations in which four persons were arrested, the actual owner of the drug consignment, Abibu Afis Sola was eventually nabbed on Friday 1st July in Gbagada area of Lagos.

The Star