The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 35 persons over alleged trafficking in various illicit drugs and substances.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a consignment of 11.90 kg of heroin and 500 grammes of skunk concealed in deep freezers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
He said the drugs were part of a cargo from South Africa on Tuesday, onboard an Ethiopian airline, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
He also said the agency’s sniffer dogs were deployed to locate the area the illicit drugs were hidden in the cargo, and they immediately identified the cartons packed in the deep freezers.
“A total of four suspects that played active roles in the movement of the drugs and a truck driver have been arrested so far in connection with the seizure.
“They include Dairo Quam, Oluwaseun Ogunmene, Adeleke Abdulrasaq, Bamidele Adewale and Oluwafemi Ogunmeru,” Mr Babafemi said.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives attached to the Gate C Departure Hall of the MMIA on Thursday arrested a passenger, Aigbedion Philomena, heading to Italy via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airline flight.
“When her bags containing body cream, hair attachments, drinks, and some food items were searched, a total of 1.20 kg of tramadol capsules, concealed inside a gift wrapping sheet and covered with old daily newspapers, were discovered,” he said.
Also, the NDLEA spokesman said the operatives, also acting on intelligence, on the same day, intercepted a commercial Toyota Camry Salon Car with reg. number JJJ 756 HB (Lagos) along Ilase-Akoko road, Idiroko.
Mr Babafemi said 34 compressed jumbo-size wraps of imported skunk, weighing 17kg and concealed in two cooking gas cylinders, were intercepted.
He said two suspects in the car, Benjamin Ajose, 48 and Oluwatobiloba Ajayi, 37, were arrested.
“In Akwa Ibom State, Mrs Hope Iniobong David, 42, was arrested with bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,112kg (1.1 tons) in her house at Ediene Abak, in Abak Local Government Area (LGA). of the state.
“Operatives in Kogi State, on Thursday, March 9, recovered 25 cartons containing 50,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection, weighing 200kg in a Toyota Hiace bus, marked LAM 652 LG, Kogi, travelling from Lagos to Abuja.
“Also, in Ogun State, operatives arrested a female drug dealer, Bola Egbebi, in Ota LGA, with different quantities of Cannabis Sativa, Methamphetamine, Tramadol 225, Skuchies, Molly and Codeine cough syrup.
“In Gombe State, another female drug dealer, Fatima Hassan (a.k.a Boss), was arrested on Saturday, in her house at New Mile 3 Area of Akko LGA, with three and a half blocks of skunk weighing 3.245kg,” he said.
Meanwhile, two other female drug dealers, Folake Ladipo and Adeola Babatunde, were arrested with a 49.5kg skunk in the Mushin Area of Lagos State on Friday.
Mr Babafemi said operatives on patrol along the Ilorin-Jebba highway on Tuesday arrested two suspects: Ismaila Saidu and Dahiru Abdullahi, with 50 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 578 kg.
He said 15 suspects were transferred to the NDLEA by the Nigerian Army with 35 bags of cannabis weighing 384.3kg in the FCT Abuja,
“A 56-year-old suspect, Shinayemà Kelenku, was arrested at Tse-kelenku village, Logo LGA of Benue, with 36.7 kg of skunk.
“In Delta State, operatives intercepted a suspect, Chimeze Ndukaire, 56, conveying psychotropic substances worth over N30 million, in a white Toyota Hiace bus, with registration number Lagos FST 279 XS, coming from Onitsha to Warri.
“The vehicle was intercepted on Friday at GSM junction, Asaba, based on a tip-off.
“Recovered from the bus include 267.3 litres of codeine (2,673 bottles); 25,110 pills of tramadol and other opioids,” he said.
Mr Babafemi said NDLEA operatives raided the Sabon-Gari area of Kano State on Saturday, where they arrested a suspect, Chukwuebuka Christopher.
He said the operatives recovered from Mr Christopher 7,740 bottles of codeine-based syrup, 774 litres, concealed inside 43 sacks of garlic.
(NAN)