NDLEA seizes U.S, UK-bound 13kg cocaine, intercepts ‘Loud’ shipment from Canada
Anti-narcotics agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Sunday, disclosed that its operatives intercepted two shipments of cocaine totaling 12.814 kilograms and valued at millions of Naira in parts of the country during the past week, in addition to making four arrests in connection with the drug haul.
According to the agency, the cocaine haul concealed in heavy duty automobile pivot shafts, along with the exotic Ghanaian fabric ‘Kente,’ were recovered in a nationwide intelligence-led operation by its officers.
NDLEA’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this, Sunday, in a statement, said that while 2.32 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the United Kingdom-bound Ghanaian traditional kente were intercepted at a courier firm in Lagos on Monday 5th August 2024, 10.494kg of same class A drug buried in heavy duty pivot shafts heading to the United States were recovered at the same logistics company after the operatives’ 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.
“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, NDLEA operatives recovered 21 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 10kg coming from the US and meant for delivery in Abuja,” the agency reported.
In a similar development, the agency reported that its operatives on Wednesday 7th August 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.
“Two members of another cocaine syndicate based in Nnewi and Oba town, Anambra state were also arrested on Thursday 8th August in a follow up operation following the seizure of their consignments in a GUO transport company bus at Benin, Edo state same day.
“While the bus driver, Harrison Mbachu, 44, was arrested at the Benin tollgate with a total of 2.865kg cocaine, Izuchkwu Arinze, 40, was picked at Nnewi town while attempting to collect his own consignment of 1.748kg cocaine and 514 grams sodium bicarbonate, with Ameachi Okoro, 39, arrested while trying to pick his own 1.117kg cocaine at Oba town,” NDLEA said.
In other operations carried out during the past week, the NDLEA reported that its operatives at the TinCan seaport Lagos on Wednesday 7th August intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 265.25kg in a black Toyota Sienna car, which is one of the three vehicles in a container marked MSMU 6029570 coming from Montreal, Canada.
“The seizure was made during 100% joint examination with men of Customs Service and other stakeholders. The following day, Thursday 8th August, the operatives recorded yet another seizure of 75 parcels of same substance weighing 37.5kg in a container marked FSCU-9274613, that came from Canada,” the agency disclosed.
Also, ‘n Adamawa state, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 8th August 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.’
“While two suspects: Adekunle Sunday Adebayo, 50, and Yahaya Mamuda, 35, were arrested at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Tuesday 6th August with 29.5kg cannabis, NDLEA operatives in Lagos recovered 1,169 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance from a bus along Orchid road, Ajah on Sunday 4th August.
“No less than 1,230.00kg cannabis was destroyed on three hectares of farmland at Ikeje forest, Edimogo village, Igalamela/ Odolu LGA, Kogi state on Friday 9th August by NDLEA officers supported by men of the Nigerian Army while the owner, Danjuma Maji, 40, was arrested,” the anti-narcotics agency reported.
