Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine and various opioids concealed in walls of cartons used to package cloths and other items billed for the United Kingdom and Australia.

Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, made this known

Babafemi said in a statement that a total of 170grams of cocaine sealed in cellophane parcels and hidden in the walls of a carton of clothes heading for Australia were seized at a courier firm in Lagos last Friday during examination of shipments.

Also seized, he said, was a range of opioids, including: 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 1,100 capsules of tramadol and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection, from another carton going to the United Kingdom.

 The agency’s operatives on May 10 raided Ejeonu village in Ukwuani Local Government Area, Delta State, and destroyed 27,500 kilograms of skunk on 11 hectares of farmland and recovered 22.9kg of same substance while a suspect, Ifeanyichukwu Peter, 52, was arrested in a follow up at Obiaruku.

During a similar raid in Orogun village, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State on May, 12 37,500 kilograms were destroyed while 55.4kg of the same substance on a 15-hectare  farm were recovered and Godwin Vincent Osadera, 30, arrested, bringing the total weight of skunk destroyed by their operatives who were supported by soldiers in the two operations to 65,000 kilograms.

Babafemi said while 361kg skunk was recovered and a suspect Husaini Suleiman, 42, arrested during a raid at Dan Magaji area of Zaria, Kaduna State last Wednesday, a large cache of military-grade ammunition was intercepted by their officers on patrol on Abuja-Kaduna highway, Kaduna on May 12.

He said a suspect, Abdullahi Hassan, 35, was caught conveying the 1,989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm concealed in fresh white garri.

“The suspect and exhibit have since been transferred to another security agency for further investigation.

In Abuja, NDLEA operatives last Monday nabbed a businessman Ogadi Peter, 29, who specialises in producing drug-laced cakes and cookies for parties and social gatherings in the capital city. Following credible intelligence, he was traced to his home in the Life Camp area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he was nabbed while 800grams of skunk and 2.70kg drug laced cookies recovered from him.

“While 181kg skunk was recovered from a suspect Aliyu Sani when NDLEA operatives raided the Ogere, Ogun State on May 13, another suspect, Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa, 27, was arrested with 105,850 pills of opioids including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5 on Zaki- Biam road Wukari Local Government Area, Taraba State on May 14.

“In Oyo State, two suspects: Adeleke Olamide Aliyah, 20, and Aloba Abdulazeez, 25, were arrested on May 14 at Challenge II, Saki town, in connection with the seizure of 99 litres of skuchies, while a total of 1,388.4175 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on two farms on Friday, May 15, when NDLEA officers raided Ago forest, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Edo State.

“A 25-litre jerry can of palm oil used to conceal 1.2kg pills of tramaking 225mg was recovered from Kofar Ruwa motor park in Kano on Monday, May 11, following credible intelligence while a suspect Aminu Isa, 35, was arrested at Sabuwar Sharada area of the state same day with 30.5kg skunk.

 Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) praised the officers in all the commands across the country for being on top of their games.

Source: The Nation News