NDLEA intercepts ‘Christmas’ drugs, arrests vulcaniser, 11 other suspects
Anti-narcotics agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have intercepted consignments of the hard drug ‘Colorado’ concealed in vehicles imported from Montreal, Canada and packs of cannabis juice flown in from South Africa, at the Tin-Can seaport, in Apapa and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, in Lagos.
NDLEA’s spokesperson, Mr. Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement, Sunday, also said the consignments were meant for distribution ahead of the Christmas festive season in the country.
According to the NDLEA, 12 suspects including two dock workers and a wine shop businessman have so far been arrested in connection with the two seizures.
“Some traffickers were arrested in connection with the recovery of 152 kilograms of skunk from two dealers in Kano, 100,000 pills of Tramadol in Imo state and 520kgs of cannabis hidden in soft drinks crates loaded in a truck coming to Abuja.
“In the same vein, a consignment of 185 parcels of cannabis Indica, popularly called ‘Colorado’ weighing 61.3kgs have been seized during a joint examination of a container at the Tincan seaport, Lagos.
“The container marked MSCU5206726 from Montreal, Canada was declared as containing three units of used vehicles but upon a 100% examination, it was found to contain two vehicles: a 2009 Toyota Corolla car and a 2009 Ford Econoline bus as well as used car engines, bicycles, shoes and other items including the drugs.
“Two dock workers: Abdulquadri Abdulazeez and Ogbuji Kenneth are already in NDLEA custody in connection with the seizure following their initial arrest by the Port Security and the Police,” Babafemi said.
In another development, the anti-narcotics agency said an attempt to export quantities of cannabis and ecstasy pills also known as ‘MDMA’ concealed in beverage drink, Bournvita containers to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), through the NAHCO export shed on Friday 23rd December was frustrated while a vulcaniser tasked with the assignment for a fee of N4,000, Iyanda Ogunleye Yaya has been arrested.
In other operations carried out by the agency around the country, the NDLEA said its operatives seized drugs as well as made arrests in some states during the period of December, this year.
“In Kano, two suspects: Nura Zakariya’u and Alkasim Abubakar were arrested along Zaria-Kano road, Kwanar Dangora, with 161 blocks of cannabis weighing 152kgs and various quantities of Exol and Codeine based syrup, while a total of 100,000 pills of tramadol were recovered from a suspect, Amaechi Johnson in Imo state on his way to Onitsha, Anambra state.
“Similarly, a total of 708 kilograms of cannabis were recovered by operatives from a bus at Ehinogbe, Owo area of Ondo state on Tuesday 20th December.”
