NDLEA Intercepts Large Consignment of UK, Italy-Bound Opioids

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a large consignment of Canadian Loud, an imported strong synthetic strain of cannabis, packaged in 324 bags with a gross weight of 111.2 kilogrammes in Onikan area of Lagos State.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, the interception happened while the consignment was being conveyed for distribution in an unregistered Grand Caravan vehicle by a 42-year-old suspect, Taofeek Yusuf.

He added that Yusuf was arrested The and the seizure of the imported consignment was late in the night last  following credible intelligence which came on the heels of the arrest of another drug trafficking suspect, Godwin ThankGod the previous day Thursday by NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

He noted that the Milan, Italy-bound Godwin was intercepted while attempting to board a Royal Air Maroc flight with quantities of codeine-based syrup and rohypnol concealed in his luggage.

Babafemi said the suspect who is a regular flyer was arrested during a search of his luggage at the Departure Gate of Terminal 2 of the airport, which revealed that he was in possession of five cartons consisting 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 300 tablets of rohypnol.

The spokesman said in the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO import shed of the airport last Friday recovered 30,000 packs of tramadol 225mg consisting 300,000 pills after a search of a consignment, which came from Karachi, Pakistan on KLM Royal Dutch Airline, with airway bill number 074-62674964, it was taken into custody following a joint examination with other security agencies at the airport.

He said various quantities of tramadol and cannabis sativa concealed in soles of sports canvas shoes going to Oman as well as another consignment of tramadol and rohypnol hidden in spices heading to the United Kingdom were also intercepted at two courier firms in Lagos by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI last Tuesday.

Babafemi also disclosed that operatives in Oyo state last Thursday raided a clandestine skuchies factory operated by Oyadeji Dimeji, 28, in Moniya area of Ibadan where 76.6 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, 134 grammes of tramadol, 93 grammes of rophynol and 50 litres of already produced skuchies, a liquid mixture containing various types of psychoactive substances, were recovered.

In Ondo state, four suspects: David Iyoragie, 34; Adams Idowu, 28; Ibrahim Audu Abdullahi,54; and Ayomide Ayuba, 20, were arrested at De – Rock View Hotel, Gadson Junction off Ado- Ekiti Road, Igoba, Akure North local government area last Friday with 524.5 kilogrammes cannabis.

Another suspect, Aniekeme Eyibio, 26, was also nabbed at Ala forest, Akure North local government area where 293.5 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive substance and a Dane gun were recovered from him, while 67-year-old Franklin Eze was arrested at Otuo, Owan East local government area, Edo state last Thursday with 454 blocks of cannabis weighing 311 kilogrammes loaded in his Lexus salon car marked EBM 812 AA.

Abdullahi Shuaibu, 43, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives last Tuesday at Ayangba, Dekina local government area, Kogi state with 43 blocks of compressed cannabis, weighing 22 kilogrammes and three pinches of methamphetamine.

In Katsina state, a suspect, Danladi Adamu aged 24 was nabbed last Wednesday with 25.5 kilogrammes cannabis sativa during a buy and bust operation at Kurmi Primary School in Malumfashi metropolis, while operatives in Gombe arrested Sulaiman Mohammed at Lapandimtai, Kaltungo, with 47 blocks of same substance weighing 30 kilogrammes concealed in two sacks of groundnut.

Babafemi noted that the  War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign of the agency continued in equal measure in schools, markets, worship places and others across the country in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen.Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Lagos, Kogi, Katsina and Gombe Commands as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures of the past week, urged them and their compatriots across all formations of the agency to maintain the offensive action tempo and strive to surpass previous records while maintaining a balance with their drug demand reduction efforts.

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

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