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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully intercepted large consignments of Cocaine and Colorado, a potent strain of cannabis, hidden within containerised household items and vehicles. The seizures occurred at the Tincan Seaport in Lagos and involved coordinated efforts by various special units of the NDLEA.
The operation, which took place between January 18th and 19th, 2024, revealed alarming discoveries during the joint examination of three containers by NDLEA officers, Customs Service personnel, and other security agencies. The items seized included 1,274 parcels of Cocaine and Colorado weighing 884.09 kilograms, four pistols, various rounds of ammunition, military personnel effects, and chemicals concealed in kegs.
The majority of the contraband originated from Durban, South Africa, arriving at the Tincan port on the MSC RESILIENT III vessel on December 31, 2023. Notably, a suspect linked to one of the containers, Akara Chibugo, has been apprehended.
Additionally, two vigilant freight agents at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos prevented drug trafficking operations by submitting a consignment, initially intended for Turkey, to NDLEA checks. The shipment, disguised as Milo beverage tins, was found to contain 1kg of cannabis.
In a related incident at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives arrested Okosun Paul Punitt, the consignee of tramadol concealed in dietary supplements. The consignment was intercepted before being sent via Ibom Air to Accra, Ghana.
In Kano, NDLEA seized over 5.6 million pills of tramadol 250mg and exol-5 from three suspects. The arrests took place in different areas of the state, involving Nura Abdullahi, Tahir Muhammad Mukhtar, and Yusuf Umar.
Further operations in Lagos led to the arrest of Ali Abubakar and Murtala Sani with 110kg of cannabis sativa in Ojodu Berger, while 69kg of the same substance was recovered from a suspect’s hideout in Akerele, Surulere. Codeine-based cough syrup and opioids were also seized in Abuja, Taraba, and Abia states.
The NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign continued with sensitization lectures at various institutions across the country. Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, commended the officers for their dedication and urged them to maintain collaboration with other law enforcement agencies to combat substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
