Operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have seized consignments of Cocaine and Loud concealed in incense candles and ladies’ wears in Lagos
It was learned that in a bid by the drug syndicates to smuggle in and out of Nigeria, consignments of Cocaine and Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, concealed in incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves and ladies’ native wears through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, and some courier firms, they were arrested.
The NDLEA operatives seized the illicit shipments and arrested suspects linked to them.
NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said: “A businessman, Abdulwahab Alebiosu was on July18, 2024, arrested at his Horizon Court, Lekki, Lagos residence after a consignment of 40 parcels of Loud weighing 20.30 kilograms hidden in packs of chessboards, scrabbles, checkers, and poker set, brought in from Canada on a British Airways flight was intercepted at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport during a joint examination of the cargo with men of Customs Service.
“A search of his home also led to the recovery of more exhibits including some drug paraphernalia, such as, weighing scale, and cannabis potency test kit, while four vaping machines were recovered from his business premises on Admiralty Way, Lekki.
“A Mikano black truck with registration number FST 657 HP was also recovered from his house.
“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA on July 19, intercepted two jumbo bags going to Pakistan.
“The bags contained dried hibiscus leaves, dried bitter leaves and other food items, which were used to conceal four parcels of cocaine and 14 parcels of Loud, both weighing 1.360kg.
“Further investigations led to the arrest of a businesswoman, Eze Ogechi who claimed she was sending the illicit consignment to Pakistan on the instruction of her brother, Eze Promise based in the South Asia country.
“Also at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives attached to Terminal II, Departure Gate of the MMIA, on July 18, intercepted a male Beninese passenger, Orobi Adoubi Amen, travelling with a bag containing some female native dresses.
“The suspect was going to Dubai via Accra, Ghana on an Air Peace Airline flight and a connecting flight to Dubai, UAE on Emirates Airline. A thorough search of the bag revealed eight parcels of Loud weighing 2.10kg were concealed in the ladies’ native wears.
“The suspect claimed he was given the consignment for a fee of N600,000 on successful delivery in Dubai.
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“No fewer than 4.5kg of the same substance concealed inside the door panels and boot of an imported Toyota RAV 4 vehicle was on July 14, recovered from a container marked MSDU 5656394 from Canada during a 100 percent search of the container at Tincan port in Lagos.
“Two suspects: Dada Kole and Alaba Oladewusi have been arrested in connection with the seizure.
“Meanwhile, a 48-year-old one legged man, Amadu Garba was arrested by NDLEA operatives in his house at Yawuri town, Kebbi State with six bags of cannabis weighing 67kg on July 16.
“In Abuja, two suspects: 60-year-old Ademola Elusakin and 34-year-old Nuhu Friday Adamu were arrested by NDLEA operatives on July 15, with 30.0kg of the same psychoactive substance along Kwali-Gwagwalada-Abuja expressway on their way from Lagos to Nasarawa state.
“Elusakin claimed he procured the consignment from Ghana via Lagos with Keffi, Nasarawa state as his final destination, where they were to supply illegal miners operating in the area.
“At least, 305 blocks of cannabis weighing 152.5kg were recovered from a suspect, Sale Bukar, 39, who was arrested at Geidam in Yobe state on July 14, while taking the illicit consignment to Diffa, in Niger Republic.
“While a suspect: Aham Chinemeze, 43, was nabbed on July 18, with 60kg of same substance along Owerri – Onitsha expressway, Imo state, Adamu Abdullahi, 24, was arrested with 40.500kg on July 17, along Obajana -Kabba expressway, Kogi state.
“The consignment was recovered from him in a commercial bus coming from Lagos enroute Kano.
“In Plateau state, a raid on the storehouse of a notorious drug dealer, Choji Gyang (aka Pararam) who is currently at large, at Rukuba road, Jos led to the recovery of 34 bags of cannabis weighing 312kg while his manager, Kelvin Onwutalu, 43, was arrested.
“Two suspects: Ifabiyi Johnson, 27, and Adeleke Musiliu, 54, were on July 19, arrested with different strains of cannabis sativa weighing 30.4kg during a raid in Osogbo, Osun state.
“In Jigawa state, the trio of Tukur Yahaya, 55; Idris Haruna, 28; and Tanimu Umar, 29, were nabbed with 90 blocks of cannabis weighing 116.8kg at Roni junction, Kazaure LGA, on July 19, while on their way to supply the illicit drugs to their customers in Kazaure, Yankwashi and Katsina state.
“Similarly, the duo of Ibrahim Abdulkadir, 29, and Suleman Mohammed, 22, were arrested with 336 bottles of codeine syrup at Amingo, Kaduna, while Auwalu Hashimu, 35, was nabbed with 45 kilograms of cannabis along Zaria- Kano highway,” the statement added.
