THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted large consignments of illicit drugs, especially cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and ephedrine, meant for export to Dubai, UAE and Europe.
The consignment was to travel through various disingenuous modes of concealment by desperate drug cartels via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The NDLEA, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, February 5, said top on the list of those so far arrested in connection with the seizures is a Nigerian based in Athens, Greece, Iwuozor Edward Chinedu.
Chinezu was said to have disembarked from an Ethiopian airline flight on Friday, February 3, after officers in the tarmac team of NDLEA intercepted two bags during a secondary check exercise at the foot of the aircraft.
“When the bags were searched in the presence of Chinedu, and other airport stakeholders, two big pellets wrapped with foil papers and some sprinkles of pepper were recovered from each of the two sides of one of the bags. The pellets were used to construct false walls at the sides of the bag.
“The two parcels contained substances that tested positive to cocaine and heroin with a gross weight of 1.30kgs and 900grams respectively,” the NDLEA stated
The agency said that during a preliminary interview, Chinedu claimed he came to Nigeria three months ago to undergo surgery, which he was uncomfortable doing in Athens. He further claimed he was given the bag to deliver in Greece for a fee of N2 million.
Similarly, NDLEA said its operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the airport on Monday, January 30, arrested a pregnant woman, Sylvester Gloria Onome, after 800 grammes of skunk were discovered concealed in two small radio sets she was sending to Dubai, United Arab Emirate.
Photo credit: NDLEA
According to the agency, on the same day, operatives also intercepted a consignment going to Congo Kinshasa containing 111 bottles of body cream that were used to conceal 24.50kgs of ephedrine, a chemical precursor and active ingredient to produce methamphetamine.
The cargo was later traced to a trader at the Alaba Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos, Onyekachukwu Uduekwelu, after the initial arrest of two freight agents.
Photo credit: NDLEA
Another housewife, Okpara Chizoba Victoria, was arrested at her residence at 37, Obashola Street, Ijesha area of Lagos, on Friday, January 27. following the seizure of 300 grammes of skunk hidden in a bag of crayfish she was sending to Dubai, UAE, through a freight agent.
A reporter with the ICIR
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