NDLEA intercepts cocaine, opioids hidden in sanitary pads, hair cream
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency intercepted consignments of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids disguised as ladies' sanitary pads and hair treatment cream containers bound for the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Cyprus at three courier companies in Lagos.The agency's Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, stated on Sunday that NDLEA officers discovered 30 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.1 kilogrammes concealed in hair cream containers during cargo examinations bound for Ireland on September 3, 2024.
"On September 6, another consignment of 24 parcels of cocaine weighing 862 grammes, hidden in hair cream containers and intended for delivery in the UK, was intercepted at the same company."
"In the same vein, a total of 525 pills of tramadol 225mg and ecstasy (MDMA) concealed in ladies' sanitary pads going to Cyprus were seized at another courier firm in Lagos by NDLEA operatives on September 3 while a shipment of 200 ampoules of promethazine injection and pentazocine injection hidden in food items and herbs heading to London, UK, was also seized by operatives on Wednesday September 4," according to Babafemi.
He also stated that on September 6, the agency's operators intercepted another consignment of tramadol 225mg buried in granulated melon from Cameroon bound for South Africa.
At the Port Harcourt International Airport, Babafemi stated that 550,000 tramadol pills were intercepted on September 2 during a joint examination of a cargo arriving from Delhi, India, with Nigerian Customs Service personnel.
"A suspect was already arrested in connection with the seizure," he said.
In Ekiti state, Babafemi stated that on September 3, NDLEA operatives accompanied by Nigerian Army soldiers stormed three camps within the Ise-Ekiti forest reserve in the Ise/Orun local government area, destroying over 100,000 kilogrammes of cannabis spread across 51 hectares of farmland.
He went on: "The affected settlements include: Aba Saalaja with 23 hectares; Aba Paanu with 12 hectares, and Aba Arogunmatidi with 16 hectares, all within the Ise-Ekiti forest reserve."
Babafemi also stated that on September 6, eight suspects were arrested in Kaduna State in possession of various illicit drugs.
He stated, "Two suspects: Bala Musa, 42, and Danladi Muhammad, 44, were arrested on Friday, September 6th, along Toro-Jos road, Kaduna, with 305kg cannabis concealed in a false compartment of a J5 boxer bus marked YLA 682 XM, while another suspect, Aminu Ayuba, 24, was arrested in possession of 18 kilogrammes of the same substance in Makarfi town.
"Two others: Umar Usman, 40, and Zubairu Kabiru, 45, were arrested along Zaria- Kaduna highway in possession of 1300 tablets of tramadol, all same day."
Babafemi also stated that arrests were made in Jigawa and Kogi states.
He stated, "In Jigawa state, Uzairu Ya'u, 30, was apprehended with 32.6kg of cannabis on Thursday, September 5th, at Koran Shehu, while operatives in Kogi on Wednesday, September 4th, intercepted 77,300 pills of tramadol, diazepam, and exol-5, as well as 1,230 bottles of codeine in a commercial bus driven by Attai Okolo, 68, along Aloma-Ejule road, Ofu LGA, Kogi state. Another suspect, Mohammed Idris, 56, was apprehended on the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja motorway on Tuesday, 3rd September, with 42.400kg of cannabis en route from Lagos to Kano.
"While NDLEA operatives in Borno state arrested Idris Muhammad, 40, in Maiduguri's Ramat area on Thursday, September 5th, with 13,100 tramadol pills, their counterparts in Kano arrested Hakilu Usman, 35, on Wednesday, September 4th, with 25.8kg cannabis and 3,000 diazepam pills along the Kano-Daura road.
"In Taraba, no fewer than 87,790 pills of tramadol were recovered from Musa Adamu, 30, when he was arrested in Zing, while in Osun state, a raid of the home of a drug kingpin, Mayowa Abayomi Awe (a.k.a Bishop) in Ilesa on Wednesday 4th September led to the seizure of 43 grammes of crack cocaine, 23 grammes of methamphetamine, 17.126kg cannabis and a locally made pistol," according to a statement.
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