- Intercepts Australia-bound cocaine in face cream bottles in Lagos
By Olukayode Idowu
A 40ft trailer load of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 2,217.6 kilogrammes has been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at an abandoned fuel station in Kagini, Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja.
The truck was intercepted while the drug in it is being distributed into six vehicles for onward distribution to some Northern states.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said the intelligence-led operation, which took place at 1:20am on Saturday led to the seizure of not only the large illicit consignment but also the trailer and the six vehicles: Toyota Van, Toyota Camry car, Toyota Sienna bus, JAC 4-wheel-drive Hilux truck, Toyota Corolla car and a Vento Passat car as well as the arrest of a suspect: 42-year-old Isaac Desmond.
Babafemi added that the consignment was loaded into the trailer at Uzebba in Owan local council area of Edo State.
In another raid in the FCT, according to the spokesman, two suspects: Anthony Nnamdi, 42, and Abba Ali, 27, were arrested by NDLEA officers at Nyanya, where a combined 1.398 kilogrammes cocaine and a precursor substance used in preparing crack cocaine were recovered from them.
He said no fewer than 20 wraps of cocaine weighing 330 grammes have been recovered from a cargo going to Australia at a logistics firm in Lagos by officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) in NDLEA, noting that the cocaine parcels were concealed around the body of face cream containers in the shipment.
Babafemi added that a total of 338,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth more than N1,190,168,200.00 in street value, were intercepted in two containers watch-listed by the agency following processed intelligence.
He revealed that the illicit consignments were discovered during joint examination of the containers by NDLEA operatives, Customs and other security agencies last Thursday and Friday at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state.
In Lagos, the traditional chief priest of the Igunuko shrine, Alpha beach Ajah Lekki where 2,760 kilogrammes skunk was recovered on 25th October 2024, Bariu Aliu (alias Malo) has been arrested by NDLEA operatives after over three months of manhunt for him. Though two of his accomplices were earlier arrested at the shrine last year and had since been charged and convicted in court, Bariu was said to be the leader of the syndicate.
A suspect, Habibu Ya’u, 23, was nabbed by NDLEA officers who raided Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria road, Kano last Thursday where they recovered 45 blocks of cannabis weighing 24.2 kilogrammes; and 40,800 pills of opioids including tramadol from him.
Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of DOGI, FCT, PHPC, Lagos, and Kano commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.
