NDLEA seizes ‘N4.4bn’ worth of cocaine at Lagos airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has seized cocaine worth N4.4 billion naira at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Femi Babafami, NDLEA spokesperson, disclosed the seizure in a statement on Sunday, detailing the agency’s operations in the last week.

According to Babafemi, the drug consignments were wrapped in nine polythene bags and hidden in waste collectors in the two rear lavatories of an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET900.

The spokesperson said they were recovered during the post-landing cabin cleaning, adding that the MMIA strategic command of the NDLEA was alerted about the strange objects.

The statement said the trafficking was an effort by members of an international drug syndicate that operates between Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nigeria to smuggle a total of 845 wraps of cocaine weighing 18.72 kg into Lagos.

“Investigations revealed that the seized drugs were conveyed from Brazil to Ethiopia through ingestion and excreted in Addis Ababa by a set of couriers while some other traffickers picked them up and attempted to smuggle them into Nigeria through the Lagos airport before their attempt was frustrated with the cooperation of the airline’s authorities and other airport stakeholders,” the statement reads.

Babafemi noted that the incident occurred on October 29.

He added that NDLEA officials also intercepted 754, 000 pills of tapentadol and acetaminophen 225mg worth N525 million in a targeted and watch-listed container from India at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.

The spokesperson said the agency’s officers, on October 28, countered attempts by some drug trafficking syndicates to export 2.928kg cocaine, cannabis, and tramadol concealed in body cream containers, and pieces of artwork to Australia, the United Arab Emirate (UAE), and the United Kingdom through some courier companies in Lagos

ARRESTS MADE IN FCT, KOGI, TARABA

Meanwhile, in the federal capital territory, the NDLEA said Mujahid Hamisu, a 24-year-old, was arrested with 147,000 pills of tramadol concealed in black nylon bags containing plumbing materials along Kwali-Gwagwalada Abuja expressway on his way from Onitsha, Anambra, on Saturday.

He said operatives caught one Seun Abimbola on the same day with 512 grams of methamphetamine during a raid operation at the Giri junction area of the FCT.

He said in Kogi, officers on patrol along Kabba- Obajana highway arrested Mercy Ameh, 28, in a commercial bus travelling from Lagos to Abuja with fake naira notes worth N4.3m after a search of her luggage.

In Taraba, Danlami Fakwa, 46, was arrested at Sabon Gari, Jalingo LGA with 49.795kg cannabis.

Adamawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Ondo, and Edo were also listed as states were arrests were made in the past week.