NDLEA seizes N5bn cannabis, codeine at Lagos, Rivers ports

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has intercepted consignments of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, and codeine-based cough syrup worth more than N5bn at the Apapa and Tincan Island ports in Lagos State and the Onne Port in Rivers State.

The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the seizures followed months of intelligence gathering and tracking of the consignments from their ports of origin.

Babafemi said the NDLEA operatives at the three seaports subjected watch-listed containers to joint examinations with the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders.

At the Apapa Port, Lagos, two containers shipped from Bangkok, Thailand, were subjected to 100 per cent examination, leading to the discovery of 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124kg and valued at N372m.

According to him, the drugs were concealed in two refrigerators and two cartons inside one of the containers.

At the Onne Port, Rivers State, two containers watch-listed by the agency were subjected to joint examination with Customs and other security agencies.

Babafemi said 40 packs of Loud weighing 22kg were discovered concealed in a travelling bag and three of five vehicles—Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra—shipped in one of the containers.

He added that the second container contained 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg.

According to him, the container originated from India and was shipped to Saudi Arabia, where its origin history was allegedly deleted to evade detection.

He said the combined street value of the codeine and Loud consignments seized at the Onne Port was N833.2m.

At the Tincan Island Port, Lagos, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives on September 29 conducted a joint examination of a watch-listed container shipped from Montreal, Canada.

The operation led to the seizure of 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5kg and valued at more than N3.8bn.

The NDLEA spokesman said the drugs were concealed in a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Elantra, alongside 24 blue drums and six jumbo bags in the container.

Babafemi also disclosed that NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, arrested a 38-year-old businessman, Philip Tunde, with 4.80kg of cocaine concealed in the soles of shoes and the railings of travelling bags.

He said Tunde was arrested on September 27 at the joint screening point of Terminal 2 of the airport while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy.

A search of the suspect’s luggage led to the recovery of 16 parcels of white powder concealed in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes, as well as 195 wraps hidden in the railings of four travelling bags.

“The substances tested positive for cocaine, with a combined weight of 4.80kg,” Babafemi stated.

He added that during interrogation, the suspect allegedly claimed to have paid N16m in cash for the cocaine concealed in the shoes, while the consignment in the bags was allegedly meant for delivery to his partner in Italy.

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Babafemi said Tunde claimed he raised the money from compensation paid to him for an injury he sustained while working at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy, where he lost the tips of two fingers.

In another operation in Osun State, Babafemi said the NDLEA operatives destroyed 20,234kg of skunk cultivated on 8.0936 hectares of cannabis farms in Area 4, Ife South Local Government Area.

He added that a 41-year-old suspect, Agbo Dennis, was arrested on September 29 in the West of Mines area of Jos North, Plateau State, following the seizure of 33 bags of skunk weighing 385kg.

In Lagos, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives on September 28 raided an unoccupied compound at Divine Estate, Ago Palace, where they recovered 209,000 tablets of tramadol.

He added that 23-year-old Ekundayo Taiwo was arrested on September 30 in a follow-up operation at Ladipo Spare Parts Market.

According to him, the arrest followed the seizure, the previous day, of 61g of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, and 24g of methamphetamine hidden in a bottle of an energy drink and sent as a waybill package through a commercial bus driver along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Babafemi also said the NDLEA operatives in Kogi State intercepted a Lagos-Abuja commuter bus along the Okene-Lokoja Highway on September 30, where two sachets of methamphetamine weighing 1kg were found concealed in a waybill.

A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, 29-year-old Michael Chukwuemeka Uzoma, at Utako, Abuja.

In Edo State, Babafemi disclosed that the residence of a 35-year-old suspect, Saturday Omimi, was raided at the Uyere community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area, on October 2, leading to the recovery of 32.2kg of cannabis sativa.

He added that the same day, NDLEA operatives arrested 23-year-old Osazuwa Iyabor Michael at Auchi Bypass, Benin City, with 59g of Loud, 12g of Colorado, 19g of tramadol, 16g of methamphetamine, 4g of Swinol and 4g of Molly.

Babafemi further disclosed that a 47-year-old fugitive, Idris Mohammed Kurra, was arrested on September 29, six years after he allegedly jumped bail.

He said Kurra was facing trial before the Federal High Court, Jos, Plateau State, over alleged possession and dealing in 198kg of skunk.

According to him, Kurra jumped bail granted by the court in December 2020 and remained at large until his arrest.

The spokesman added that commands and formations of the agency across the country also continued their War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities during the week.

He said the activities included enlightenment lectures at St. Paul’s Secondary School, Oji, Enugu; Olu-Odo Primary School, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos; Government Junior Secondary School, Tsamiya, Kano; Christ’s School, Ado Ekiti; and Government Science Secondary School, Lokoja, Kogi State, among others.

Babafemi said the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers and men of the MMIA, Apapa, Tincan, PHPC, Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Plateau and Osun Commands for their professionalism and intelligence-driven operations.

Marwa urged the officers and their colleagues nationwide to sustain the agency’s efforts against drug trafficking networks while maintaining its balanced approach to drug control.