NDLEA intercepts cocaine, opioids hidden in sanitary pads

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted various quantities of cocaine and opioids concealed in sanitary pads and hair cream for shipping.

In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said the consignments from three courier firms in Lagos were headed to South Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Cyprus.

“In one of the logistics companies, not less than 30 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.1 kilograms were concealed in hair cream containers were recovered by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) during an examination of cargoes going to Ireland on Tuesday 3rd September 2024,” the statement reads.

“Another consignment of 24 parcels of cocaine weighing 862 grams also hidden in hair cream containers meant for delivery in the UK was equally intercepted at the same company on Friday 6th September.

“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 Tuesday 3rd September, 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 4th September. 

“Operatives equally intercepted another consignment of tramadol 225mg buried in granulated melon that came from Cameroon and was going to South Africa on Friday 6th September.

“No fewer than 550,000 pills of tramadol were also intercepted at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt on Monday 2nd September during a joint examination of a cargo that came from Delhi, India, with men of the Nigerian Customs Service while a suspect was already arrested in connection with the seizure.”

INTERCEPTIONS IN EKITI, JIGAWA, BORNO, TARABA

Operatives of the agency and men of the Nigerian Army raided three camps inside the Ise-Ekiti forest reserve, in the Ise/Orun LGA and destroyed over 100,000 kilograms of cannabis spread across 51 hectares of farmland on September 3 and 4.

The NDLEA said Bala Musa and Danladi Muhammad were arrested on September 6 along Toro-Jos road, Bauchi, with 305kg cannabis concealed in a false compartment of a J5 bus marked YLA 682 XM.

Another suspect, Aminu Ayuba, was arrested in possession of 18 kilograms of cannabis at Makarfi town

“Two others identified as Umar Usman, 40, and Zubairu Kabiru, 45, were arrested along the Zaria- Kaduna highway in possession of 1300 tablets of tramadol on the same day,” the statement reads.

The agency said one Uzairu Ya’u was arrested with 32.6kg of cannabis on September 5 at Koran Shehu,  in Jigawa.

Operatives of the agency also intercepted 77,300 pills of tramadol, diazepam and exol-5 as well as 1,230 bottles of codeine in a commercial bus along Aloma – Ejule road, Ofu LGA in Kogi. 

The NDLEA noted that NDLEA operatives in Borno state arrested Idris Muhammad at the Ramat area of Maiduguri on Thursday, September 5 with 13,100 pills of tramadol.

“In Osun state, a raid of the home of a drug kingpin, Mayowa Abayomi Awe (a.k.a Bishop) in Ilesa on September 4 led to the seizure of 43grams of crack cocaine, 23grams of methamphetamine, 17.126kg cannabis and a locally made pistol,” the agency said.