THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 9.40 kilograms of heroin concealed at the bottom of two travelling bags and another 1.924 kilograms of skunk hidden in cream tubes in Lagos and Abuja, respectively.
The consignments were bound for two Asian countries – the heroin to India and the skunk to Oman.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, March 5.
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Babafemi said NDLEA operatives recovered the 9.40kg of heroin hidden in two travelling bags from one Kingsley Celestino at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Saturday, March 4.
The 49-year-old is a self-claimed businessman who frequently moves between Nigeria and India using a Guinean international passport.
Similarly, the NDLEA said it seized the skunk consignment from one Etounu Monday, at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, during the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airline flight on Monday, February 27.
Babafemi said the agency’s operatives intercepted other illicit goods, some of which were to be moved abroad, within the last week.
The anti-narcotics agency further said it recovered 244 parcels of cannabis that weighed 79kg bound for Canada at Tincan Sea Port, Lagos, and a consignment of nine boxes of methamphetamine concealed in native black soap, Dudu Osun, heading to Europe, also in Lagos.
It also seized 778,190 pills of pharmaceutical opioids, tramadol and a drum of 270kg Methylene Chloride in Taraba, 27.45 kilograms of cannabis in Jos, and 18kg of the same substance in Osun.
Illicit trafficking of hard drugs is a significant problem in Nigeria. The Federal Government continues to battle smugglers and perpetrators leveraging airports, vessels and seaports to push out their products.
Some substances often smuggled by merchants within and outside the country are cocaine, heroin, cannabis, codeine, opioids, colorado and tramadol.
Beloved John is an investigative reporter with International Centre for Investigative Reporting.
You can reach her via: [email protected]