NDLEA Dismantles Cocaine Syndicates, Recovers Multi-Billion Naira Drugs In Nationwide Raids
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has said it has recovered multi-billion-naira worth of cocaine concealed in heavy-duty automobile pivot shafts, and Ghanaian fabric, Kente in a courier firm in Lagos.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, August 11, said this was among other such recoveries in a nationwide intelligence-led operation by officers of the Agency.
He said, “On Monday, August 5, 2024, at a courier company in Lagos, 2.32 kg of cocaine hidden in Ghanaian traditional kente materials headed for the United Kingdom were discovered, while 10.494 kg of the same type After the NDLEA sniffer dogs pulled out the car spare parts carrying the illegal substance, a drug hidden in heavy duty pivot shafts bound for the US was found at the same logistics company, bringing the total amount of cocaine seized in the two shipments to 12.814 kilogrammes.
“In the same vein, five other consignments going to the US, UK, and Canada were also intercepted at the courier firm in Lagos on Friday 9th August 2024. They include 517 grams of cocaine in clothing materials; different quantities of pentazocine injection, promethazine injection, and co-codamol pills, all heading to the UK as well as 297 pills of tramadol 225mg going to Canada. In a different logistics company in Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 21 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 10kg coming from the US and meant for delivery in Abuja.
“In another intelligence-led operation, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 7th August arrested a member of a cocaine trafficking network, Obiora Joseph Agudosi, at Alafia Orile, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos while attempting to move 9.00kg of cocaine to Onitsha, Anambra state.
“Two members of another cocaine syndicate based in Nnewi and Oba town, Anambra state were also arrested on Thursday 8th August in a follow up operation following the seizure of their consignments in a GUO transport company bus at Benin, Edo state the same day.
“While the bus driver, Harrison Mbachu, 44, was arrested at Benin tollgate with a total of 2.865kg cocaine, Izuchkwu Arinze, 40, was picked at Nnewi town while attempting to collect his consignment of 1.748kg cocaine and 514 grams sodium bicarbonate, with Ameachi Okoro, 39, arrested while trying to pick his own 1.117kg cocaine at Oba town.
“Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at Tincan seaport Lagos on Wednesday 7th August intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 265.25kg in a black Toyota Sienna bus, which is one of the three vehicles in a container marked MSMU 6029570 coming from Montreal, Canada.
“The seizure was made during a 100% joint examination with men of Customs Service and other stakeholders.
“The following day, Thursday 8th August, the operatives recorded yet another seizure of 75 parcels of the same substance weighing 37.5kg in a container marked FSCU-9274613, that came from Canada.
“In Adamawa state, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 8th August with the support of men of operation Farauta Sector 3, Mayo Belwa arrested 49-year-old Joseph Peter with 425 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 291.200kg in his Toyota Camry car marked Lagos KSF 381 HM.
“He claimed he was bringing the consignment from Edo state to deliver in Yola, Adamawa State.
“While two suspects: Adekunle Sunday Adebayo, 50, and Yahaya Mamuda, 35, were arrested at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Tuesday 6th August with 29.5kg cannabis, NDLEA operatives in Lagos recovered 1,169 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance from a bus along Orchid road, Ajah on Sunday 4th August.
“No less than 1,230.00kg cannabis was destroyed on three hectares of farmland at Ikeje forest, Edimogo village, Igalamela/ Odolu LGA, Kogi state on Friday 9th August by NDLEA officers supported by men of the Nigerian Army while the owner, Danjuma Maji, 40, was arrested” the statement read.
In the past week, the Agency’s commands and formations across the country have continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among other places.
“These activities included a WADA enlightenment lecture for women at the Fowewe Sofuwa Islamic Centre in Saki, Oyo state; a WADA sensitization lecture and the inauguration of a community drug control committee at the Nnando community in Anambra state; Among other things, WADA organised a sensitization lecture for members of the Ansaru-ud-deen Muslim Society of Nigeria in Ado Ekiti and made an advocacy visit to the Emir of Ilorin, in Kwara state, HRH Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari.
While praising the men and officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, and the Special Operations Unit, Tincan, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Kogi, and Adamawa Commands for their arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), encouraged them and their fellow citizens throughout the nation to persist in their current balanced approach to drug demand and supply decrease.
