NDLEA intercepts Brazil returnee with cocaine, arrests 16 others

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2 years ago

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted parcels of cocaine concealed in different parts of a travel bag brought into Nigeria by a Brazil returnee, Nwadinobi Charles Uchemadu from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.

Uchemadu was arrested on 5th December at the Lagos airport during the inward clearance of passengers on the Qatar Airways flight following the discovery of three parcels of cocaine weighing 2.70 kilograms factory sealed in parts of his travel bag.

At the SAHCO export shed of the airport the same day, an NDLEA statement on Sunday said, operatives equally intercepted cans of powdered milk, baby food and beverages used to conceal 3.4 kilograms of cannabis going to Dubai, UAE. A freight agent, Ewelike Chibuike Cyril who presented the consignment for export was subsequently arrested.

In the same vein, parcels of cannabis weighing 6.30kgs concealed in sound systems (speakers) going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea through the SAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport were also seized on 8th December by the NDLEA operatives who initially arrested a freight agent, Joseph Obiji involved and later the following day, 9th December nabbed another agent, Mbanu Ifeanyi Andrew in a follow-up operation at ASPAMDA market, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos.

At the Akala notorious drug hub in the Mushin area of Lagos, no fewer than 15 drug dealers including two ladies were arrested with 1,400kgs of cannabis sativa among other illicit substances such as heroin, methamphetamine, and 320 bottles of codeine syrup recovered from them during a raid of the area on Friday.

The NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi said another raid of the popular Idumota business district of Lagos Island on Saturday, led to the seizure of 35,014 pills of tramadol, diazepam, Rohypnol and 21.2 litres of codeine syrup while a targeted notorious dealer is still on the run.

This is even as officers of the Directorate of Seaports Operations of the Agency arrested a Malian, Dembele Ousmane on 5th December with 32,400 capsules of tramadol 225mg concealed in factory-packed buckets of custard while attempting to travel to Mali via boat at Ebute -Ero Jetty in Lagos.

In Ondo state, operatives on Tuesday stormed a sharp corner, Ipele forest in the Owo area of the state where they arrested Rotimi Oyekan and Precious Aluju with C/S weighing 903.3kgs, while another team of NDLEA officers arrested Babatunde Oluyara at Igbotako area of the state, with 168.5kgs of the same substance; 6kgs of monkey tail and various quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.

In Kebbi state, the statement said, two suspects: Austine Julius and Sale Yakubu were arrested on 4th December along Yawuri-Kebbi road in a loaded Dyna Truck with 117 bags of Cannabis Sativa weighing 1,070 kilograms concealed under bags of oranges. The following day, 5th December, another set of two suspects: Abdullahi Bala and Ibrahim Wade were intercepted along Koko- Kebbi road in a Dyna Truck loaded with 114 bags of the same substance weighing 1,140 kilograms concealed under crates of soft drinks.

A raid operation in Abbi town, Ndokwa West LGA, Delta State led to the arrest of a pregnant 30-year-old dealer, Aniekem Evelyn, with 1,161kgs of C/S recovered from her warehouse.

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