THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 22 blocks of heroin weighing 23.55kilograms concealed in packs of baby food at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
In a statement by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy, the NDLEA said the consignment with a street value of over N4.5 billion came from Johannesburg, South Africa, on board a South African Airways flight on June 29, as part of a consolidated cargo that arrived the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport.
READ ALSO:
NDLEA intercepts Meth consignments at Lagos airport
US, Dubai-bound drugs seized at Lagos airport as NDLEA arrests 39 in Abuja raids
NDLEA secures conviction of Nigerian-Canadian arrested for drug trafficking
NDLEA intercepts large drug consignments, arrests traffickers
“After a series of follow-up operations that led to the arrest of two freight agents, the actual receiver of the drug consignment, Chike Okeke Eweni, who distributes the substance for his South Africa-based partner, was arrested the following day, June 30, at a logistics warehouse in Ajao Estate, Ikeja,” the statement said.
Chike, who hails from Anaocha LGA, Anambra state, claimed during a preliminary interview that he’s also into fish farming.
The NDLEA officers at the airport on June 27 also arrested a former driver with a public transport company (BRT), Muyiwa Babalola Bolujoko, for ingesting 90 pellets of cocaine.
According to the NDLEA, he was arrested at the screening point before boarding a Qatar Airways flight en route from Doha to Sharjah, with his trip expected to terminate in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“The 39-year-old from Ijebu South LGA, Ogun State, was placed under excretion observation after body scan result confirmed drug ingestion.
“While in custody, the suspect excreted all the 90 pellets in four excretions. He claimed he left his N60, 000 per month job as BRT driver in February and decided to work as drug courier to raise funds to buy a shuttle bus popularly called ‘Korope’ in Lagos to continue his transport business,” the agency added.
The NDLEA added that its operatives, on June 30, intercepted an inbound consignment of khat leaves, which arrived at the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport on a Royal Air Maroc flight from the Middle East.
A total of 71 cartons of dried khat leaves with a gross weight of 2,434.3 kg were discovered in the cargo.
In addition, the NDLEA said its operatives, on June 29, arrested a 68-year-old woman, Celina Ekeke, at Obunku community, Oyigbo LGA, with 231.2kg of cannabis.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance