Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ Agents from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have successfully intercepted shipments of illegal drugs concealed within various items by transnational drug trafficking cartels. These operations were carried out at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja and various courier companies located in Lagos, Nigeria. The NDLEA’s efforts led to the prevention of new attempts to export significant quantities of methamphetamine and skunk (a potent strain of cannabis) by these transnational drug trafficking organizations.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the agency’s operatives at Lagos Airport seized a passenger attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Oman. Upon inspecting the passenger’s luggage, they discovered 7.50 kilograms of skunk cleverly concealed inside crayfish mixed with dry bitter leaf.
In addition to the airport interception, NDLEA officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations working with courier companies intercepted shipments bound for Dubai. These shipments contained 2.9 kilograms of skunk and 14 grams of methamphetamine hidden within bags of semovita and the soles of ladies’ high-heel shoes, respectively.
In a separate operation in Imo State, NDLEA operatives patrolling the Aba-Owerri expressway on September 13 rescued five pregnant teenage girls suspected to be victims of child trafficking. These girls were believed to be part of a baby factory operation and were apprehended while being relocated from their hideout in the Naze area of Owerri to Ikenegbu in the state capital.
The arrested suspects in the operations included Moses Akowe and Sunday Gabriel, who were found in possession of 227.1 kilograms of cannabis in Kogi State. Bilikisu Salako was apprehended with 108 kilograms of the same substance in Ogun State. Further investigations into the seized drugs led to the arrest of Muntari Nasiru and Yusuf Ali in Kano.
In the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Kingsley Chimaobi was arrested with 6,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup along the Lokogoma-Abuja road.
Additionally, a drug dealer named Segun Odeyemi was sentenced to five years in prison by a Federal High Court in Lagos for trafficking and dealing in 3,842 kilograms of skunk. Odeyemi was apprehended while transporting 89 jumbo bags of the illicit substance in his truck around the Eleganza area of Ajah, Lekki.
These actions by the NDLEA reflect the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and related crimes in Nigeria, including the interception of drug shipments and the apprehension of individuals involved in illegal drug activities.
