Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have seized Cocaine and Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, concealed in incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves and ladies’ native wears.
They were to be smuggled out via Murtala Muhammed International Airport and some courier firms, all in Lagos State.
Apart from the seizure of the illicit shipments, suspects linked to them were also arrested by the operatives of the NDLEA.
A businessman, Abdulwahab Owolabi Alebiosu, was on July 18, 2024 arrested at his Horizon Court, Lekki, Lagos State residence after a consignment of 40 parcels of Loud weighing 20.30 kilograms hidden in packs of chessboards, scrabbles, checkers, and poker set, brought in from Canada on a British Airways flight, was intercepted at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport during a joint examination of the cargo with men of the Nigeria Customs Service.
A search of his home also led to the recovery of more exhibits, including some drug paraphernalia such as weighing scale and cannabis potency test kit, while four vaping machines were recovered from his business premises on Admiralty Way, Lekki.
A Mikano black truck with registration number FST 657 HP was also recovered from his house.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA on July 19 intercepted two jumbo bags going to Pakistan.
The bags contained dried hibiscus leaves, dried bitter leaves and other food items, which were used to conceal four parcels of cocaine and 14 parcels of Loud, both weighing 1.360kg.
Further investigations led to the arrest of a businesswoman, Eze Queen Ogechi, who claimed she was sending the illicit consignment to Pakistan on the instruction of her brother, Eze Nnamdi Promise, based in the South Asian country.
Also at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives attached to Terminal II, Departure Gate of the MMIA, on July 18 intercepted a male Beninoise passenger, Orobi Adoubi Amen, travelling with a bag containing some female native dresses.
The suspect was going to Dubai, United Arab Emirates via Accra, Ghana on an Air Peace airline flight and a connecting flight on Emirates Airline.
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A thorough search of the bag revealed that eight parcels of Loud weighing 2.10kg were concealed in the ladies’ native wears.
The suspect claimed he was given the consignment for a fee of N600,000 on successful delivery in Dubai.
Not less than 4.5kg of the same substance concealed inside the door panels and boot of an imported Toyota RAV 4 vehicle was on July 14 recovered from a container marked MSDU 5656394 from Canada during a 100 percent search of the container at Tincan Port in Lagos State.
Two suspects: Dada Kole and Alaba Oladewusi, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
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