THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 53-year-old physically challenged man, Ehiarimwiam Osaromo Emmanuel, for drug trafficking.
Emmanuel was arrested at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
A statement released by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the suspect was arrested on August 28 while on his way to Italy via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.
Emmanuel, an indigene of Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, was found to have concealed five thousand (5,000) tablets of Tramadol 225mg in his luggage.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a frequent traveller who often travels with lots of bags containing mainly food items, body cream, hair attachment and drinks.
“The suspect was said to have presented his usual large consignment to NDLEA operatives for search but held on to some packages, which were retrieved from him and properly searched during which the drugs were discovered,” the statement said.
The anti-narcotic agency said its operatives also arrested an Abuja businesswoman, Onyinye Nwoke, 38, following an intelligence-led raid at her residence, House 56 Aldenco Estate, Galadimawa, where operatives uprooted fresh stems of cannabis plants grown in the backyard of the house.
The Agency said the uprooted plants weighed 18.4kgs while 800grams of cannabis seeds were also recovered from her house.
Also, in an attempt to demobilise and dismantle all organised criminal groups behind the production and distribution of crystal methamphetamine across the country, NDLEA said its operatives, on August 29, raided a suspected clandestine laboratory at OPIC Estate, in the Agbara area of Lagos.
“Clues from the property led operatives to another in the vicinity where one Peter James was apprehended with some quantity of the substance.
“A follow-up operation within the estate also led to the arrest of a meth dealer, Mathew Bobby Imonitie, who was caught with 4.033kilograms of the illicit substance,” the Agency added.
Chairman of NDLEA Mohammed Marwa commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Niger, Sokoto, Ondo, FCT and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures.
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