In a sweeping crackdown on drug trafficking activities, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made a series of significant arrests and interceptions, unveiling a complex web of illicit drug movements across the country.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos, NDLEA officers, in collaboration with customs and other stakeholders, thwarted the attempts of drug syndicates to smuggle a staggering 7,500,000 pills of tramadol 225mg.
The consignment, arriving on a Turkish airline, lacked proper documentation regarding its origin.
Notably, it was the first such seizure on this airline’s flight and the first coming from Hamburg, Germany.
The tramadol pills, concealed as tamol-x in 100 big cartons, were discovered on December 22. This interception sheds light on the sophistication of drug trafficking networks.
Simultaneously, the Lagos Command of the NDLEA conducted a search operation at Trade Fair complex in Ojo, Lagos, uncovering 258 cartons of codeine-based cough syrup and eight cartons of codeine tablets in two shops marked Chex Mat Global Link Limited.
The agency’s operatives raided a house in Mushin, Lagos, leading to the arrest of a 70-year-old grandma, Selifat Funke Cole, and her son, Babajide Ayorinde Cole, in possession of 117.900kg of cannabis sativa.
The drug interdiction efforts extended to the cargo terminal of the Lagos airport, where a consignment of spare parts originating from Asaba, Delta state, and bound for Malviya Nagar, New Delhi, India, was intercepted. Sniffer dogs identified a shipment containing cocaine measuring 200grams.
Furthermore, the Tincan Command of NDLEA seized 70 parcels of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, from a container marked BEAU 4993525 arriving from Toronto via Montreal, Canada.
The container, which included four used vehicles, concealed bags of the psychoactive substance.
In other regions of Nigeria, NDLEA operatives intercepted tramadol pills, codeine syrup, and various opioids in Anambra, Delta, and Edo states.
Notably, in Edo state, individuals posing as NDLEA officers were arrested, emphasizing the need for vigilance against impersonation.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the efforts of the officers across different commands and urged them to remain vigilant for upcoming operations in the new year.
The comprehensive actions by the NDLEA highlight the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and underscore the importance of continued vigilance to curb the menace.
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