NDLEA intercepts ‘British, French passports hidden in bag of garri’ at Lagos airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says 22 international passports were found inside a bag of garri at the Lagos airport.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesman, the agency said the passports were for six countries.

Babafemi also said the passports were found during a routine search at the airport.

The agency, however, didn’t provide further information on investigation into why the passports were hidden.

“At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the airport, during their routine cargo search, intercepted a consignment of 22 international passports of six different countries concealed in a bag of garri, among other food items,” the statement reads.

“Nine of the passports were three each of UK, France and Portugal, while the rest were: Nigeria – 8; Ghana – 4 and Cameroon – 1.

“Also at the airport, operatives equally recovered 12 parcels of cannabis weighing 4.95kg concealed in a carton of Golden Morn packaged for export through the SAHCO export shed.”

According to the statement, three suspected trans-border traffickers were also arrested with 48,000 tablets of Tramadol at Adamawa state.

“The suspects: Mohammed Hussaini, 32; Adamu Bella, 18, and Mohammed Umar, 18, were arrested at Tsamiya Junction, Madanya Road, Mubi, Mubi North LGA, Adamawa State on Friday, January 28, with the exhibits concealed in the packets of another drug,” the statement reads.

“When interviewed, they claimed the drugs were being taken to Bagira town along Nigeria-Cameroon border to be delivered to some Cameroonians for onward delivery to Maroa in Cameroon.”

The NDLEA also said other illicit drugs were intercepted in operations carried out in Lagos, Jigawa, Plateau and Edo.

“Over 1,500 kilograms of imported Loud and other illicit substances have been intercepted in raids across Lagos and Edo states,” Babafemi said.

“This comes on the heels of a similar operation at Alaba Rago area of Lagos where operatives of the state command of the Agency intercepted 1,200 parcels of imported Loud, a strong variant of cannabis, suspected to have been smuggled into the state from a neighbouring country with a total weight of 1,229 kilograms.

“In another raid on Wednesday, 26th Jan., at Suru Alaba, Ajeromi-Ifelodun LGA, Lagos, operatives arrested one Ibrahim Musa, 25, with 18,530 tablets of Tramadol, Rohypnol Diazepam, Exol-5, and 138 bottles of Codeine.

“In Plateau state, a team of NDLEA officers on Friday, 28th Jan., arrested two suspects; Emeka Ezenwa, 37, and Julius Akingbe, 45, for being in possession of 126.5grams of methamphetamine concealed inside a DVD player coming from Lagos, while a raid in Kampani Zera-Wase LGA of the state on Friday led to the arrest of Fatima Sadiq, 20, who was caught with 21.3kg cannabis.

“A similar raid on Friday of a notorious drug joint, Bakin Kogi Ringim, Jigawa state, led to the recovery of different quantities of Cannabis, Diazepam, Exol-5 and some new psychoactive substances with a total weight of 8.680kg as well as weapons such as knives, cutlasses, Gora sticks, catapults and charms.

“In Edo state, operatives recovered 19 bags of cannabis weighing 144.10kg stored in the bush along Uromi Road, Esan North East LGA, ready to be transported to other parts of the country, while eight bags of the same substance weighing 111kg were recovered from a bush at Iruekpen, Esan West LGA.”

Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, commended the efforts of the officers.