The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced the recovery of a multi-billion naira worth of cocaine concealed in heavy-duty automobile pivot shafts, and Ghanaian fabric, Kente, by its operatives in a nationwide intelligence-led operation.
PUNCH Metro learnt in a statement released on Sunday by the Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, that the NDLEA intercepted and seized 12.814kg of cocaine in two shipments at a courier firm in Lagos, 10kg of Loud (synthetic cannabis) in 21 parcels at a logistics company in Lagos, 265.25kg of Loud in a container at the Tin Can Seaport, Lagos, 37.5kg of Loud in a container at Tin Can, 291.200kg of cannabis sativa in Adamawa state, 29.5kg of cannabis in Kano State and 1,169kg of cannabis in Lagos State.
In the statement, Babafemi disclosed that while 2.32 kilograms of cocaine concealed in Ghanaian traditional kente materials going to the United Kingdom were intercepted at a courier firm in Lagos, on Monday, August 5, 2024, 10.494kg of the same class A drug buried in heavy-duty pivot shafts heading to the United States were recovered at the same logistics company after the NDLEA sniffer dogs fished out the automobile spare parts containing the illicit drug, bringing the total weight of cocaine seized in the two shipments to 12.814 kilograms.
“In the same vein, five other consignments going to the US, UK and Canada were also intercepted at the courier firm in Lagos on Friday 9th August 2024. They include 517 grams of cocaine in clothing materials; different quantities of pentazocine injection, promethazine injection and cocodamol pills, all heading to the UK as well as 297 pills of tramadol 225mg going to Canada. In a different logistics company in Lagos, the NDLEA operatives recovered 21 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 10kg coming from the US and meant for delivery in Abuja.
“Also, the NDLEA operatives at the Tin Can seaport, Lagos, on Wednesday, August 7, intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 265.25kg in a black Toyota Sienna bus, which is one of the three vehicles in a container marked MSMU 6029570 coming from Montreal, Canada. The seizure was made during a 100% joint examination with men of the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders. The following day, Thursday, August 8, the operatives recorded yet another seizure of 75 parcels of the same substance weighing 37.5kg in a container marked FSCU-9274613, that came from Canada.
The NDLEA also said its operatives arrested several suspects, including members of cocaine trafficking networks, and destroyed 1,230kg of cannabis in Kogi State while stating it continued its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation activities across the country.
“In Adamawa State, the NDLEA operatives on Thursday, August 8, with the support of men of Operation Farauta Sector 3, Mayo Belwa arrested 49-year-old Joseph Peter with 425 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 291.200kg in his Toyota Camry car marked Lagos KSF 381 HM. He claimed he was bringing the consignment from Edo State to deliver in Yola, Adamawa State.
“Two suspects, Adekunle Sunday Adebayo, 50, and Yahaya Mamuda, 35, were arrested at the Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Tuesday, August 6 with 29.5kg cannabis, while the NDLEA operatives in Lagos recovered 1,169 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance from a bus along Orchid road, Ajah on Sunday, August 4.
“In another intelligence-led operation, the NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, August 7, arrested a member of a cocaine trafficking network, Obiora Joseph Agudosi, at Alafia Orile, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos while attempting to move 9.00kg of cocaine to Onitsha, Anambra State” he stated.
Besides, the NDLEA disclosed it arrested two members of another cocaine syndicate based in Nnewi and Oba town, Anambra State on Thursday, August 8, in a follow-up operation following the seizure of their consignments in a GUO Transport Company bus at Benin, Edo State the same day.
“While the bus driver, Harrison Mbachu, 44, was arrested at the Benin tollgate with a total of 2.865kg cocaine, Izuchukwu Arinze, 40, was picked at Nnewi town while attempting to collect his consignment of 1.748kg cocaine and 514 grams sodium bicarbonate, with Amaechi Okoro, 39, arrested while trying to pick his own 1.117kg cocaine at Oba town.
“No less than 1,230.00kg cannabis was destroyed on three hectares of farmland at the Ikeje forest, Edimogo village, Igalamela/ Odolu LGA, Kogi State on Friday, August 9 by the NDLEA officers supported by men of the Nigerian Army while the owner, Danjuma Maji, 40, was arrested.
“With the same drive, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities among others in the past week,” the statement indicated.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, Tin Can, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Kogi, and Adamawa commands as well as those of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, for the arrests and seizures and urged them to continue with their current balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
