By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, says it has uncovered no fewer than Four Hundred and Forty Two (442) parcels of Crystal Methamphetamine concealed in heads of fishes packed in cartons for export to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates through the SAHCO shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.
A statement signed by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, said a freight agent, Adekunle Oluwapelumi Paul, 32, from Yagba West LGA, Kogi State, who brought in the 11.90kg consignment to the SAHCO export shed of the airport on Friday August 5, was promptly arrested upon discovery that the seven cartons he presented for export contained parcels of the dangerous drug wrapped with foil paper and concealed in the heads of hundreds of smoked catfish.
The statement noted that on Saturday 6th August, 2022, another consignment containing 1.45kg cannabis concealed inside granulated melon and crayfish and packed among other food condiments going to Dubai, UAE was also intercepted by NDLEA operatives..
It also stated that anti-narcotic officers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu arrested a 50-year-old Mgbeobuna Victor Eberechukwu, who arrived from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia aboard Ethiopian airline for ingesting 77 pellets of cocaine.
The suspect who hails from Idemili South LGA, Anambra state passed out the 77 wraps of the illicit drug in eight excretions spanning four days.
Also in Kaduna, operatives of the Agency arrested three suspects: Saifullahi Sani, Salisu Nafi’u and Abdulrazaq Mamman, in Zaria on Thursday 11th August with One million, one hundred and twelve thousand three hundred and fifty (1,112,350) tablets of Tramadol (225mg and 100mg) weighing 38.3kg, while in Kano, a female drug dealer, Saratu Abdullahi, 28, from Wurno council area of the state was nabbed at Hotoro with 541 blocks of cannabis weighing 245kg.
Operatives recovered a total of 1,773.25kg of cannabis sativa at Ebutte-Meta and Akala in Mushin areas of Lagos state in separate raids between 9th and 10th August at the Tincan seaport in Lagos.
86 parcels of cannabis indica (Colorado) weighing 43kg were recovered from a 40ft container during a joint examination with Customs and other security agencies.
The illegal consignment seized on Friday 12th August came from Toronto through Montreal, Canada and concealed in two drums inside a Mercedes Benz SUV in the container.
The story was the same in Abia state, where two suspects: Nnanna Ijo, 58, and Orji Uguru, 29, were arrested on Friday 12th August with various quantities of cannabis, heroin and cocaine at Nde-Agbai, Abiriba, a week after Nnanna was released from detention over a similar offence committed in June.
The Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) while commending the officers and men officers of the various Commands of the Agency for the seizures and arrests, charged them and their compatriots across the country to always remain steps ahead of the drug cartels.
