Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted cocaine concealed in lipsticks and property documents bound for the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.
The operations were carried out on Thursday, July 3, at a courier company in Lagos by operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI).
This was contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Femi Babafemi, and shared on the agency’s Facebook page on Sunday.
According to the statement, operatives seized 420 grams of cocaine hidden inside 84 pieces of female lipsticks en route to the UK, and another 280 grams of cocaine concealed within a Certificate of Occupancy destined for Saudi Arabia.
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers arrested Ajetsibo Emami, also known as ‘Warri Kinsman’, a notorious drug kingpin, during a sting operation in Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday, June 28.
The three-day mission led to the arrest of three other suspects and the seizure of 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain, weighing 414.2 kilograms.
Meanwhile, a Lagos-based family drug syndicate has been dismantled. Ajah Johnson Uchenna, his wife Rosemary, and their daughters Stella and Ngozi, along with family friend Okoro Elijah, were arrested for running a large-scale illicit drug network.
Initially, they were arrested with 277.5 kg of skunk, further investigation led to a follow-up raid on July 1, where 231 kg more was seized.
The NDLEA further disclosed that their daughters and friend were caught continuing operations while the parents were in custody.
At Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, NDLEA officers on July 2 intercepted frequent flyer Aburemi Hysent, who attempted to smuggle 7,660 pills of Tramadol hidden in food items.
According to the agency, the suspect admitted he was promised €800 for the delivery in Italy.
In another airport operation on July 4, 52 counterfeit travelers ‘ cheques worth AU$17.7 million were found concealed in children’s books headed to Malaysia.
A freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, was arrested, and the case has been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Additional highlights from other states include Seme Border, Badagry (July 5): 718 large balls of skunk weighing 359 kg were seized.
Okene–Lokoja Highway, Interception of 10,000 pills of Tramadol and Co-codamol, and 1.05 kg of Colorado cannabis, leading to arrests in Abuja of Chinedu Odo, Samuel Ogbonna, and Kingsley Ugaji.
READ ALSO: Customs Hands Over ₦172m Worth of Cannabis to NDLEA in Ogun
Osun State, Multiple raids led to the arrest of several suspects and seizure of over 62,000 pills and ampoules of opioids.
A massive 24,175 kg of cannabis was destroyed on 9.67 hectares of farmland in Oke-Ila Forest.
Borno State, 167 kg of skunk recovered in Gamboru-Ngala.
Zaria–Kano Road, 452 kg of skunk seized; Nasuru Saleh and Mustapha Muhammad arrested.
Abuja–Kaduna Expressway, 11,000 pills of Tramadol seized from Sule Ibrahim Sadiq.
In Sokoto State, a 62-year-old Joseph Onungene was caught with 4,800 pills of Tramadol.
Kebbi State: 312 kg of skunk and 10,000 Diazepam tablets seized at Yauri.
Taraba State, Chigbo Okolo, and Ishaku Musa were arrested with nearly 50,000 capsules of Tramadol.
Edo State, NDLEA raided Ewere forest, arrested Alaba Monday, and three others with over 115 kg of processed skunk.
In Cross River State, 78-year-old Mike Abeng and others were arrested with various quantities of illicit drugs in Obubra LGA.
The NDLEA also intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitisation lectures in schools and communities across Enugu, Lagos, Katsina, and Borno States.
Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the dedication of the agency’s operatives across various commands, praising their dual efforts in drug supply reduction and demand reduction.
