The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered no fewer than 442 parcels of Crystal Methamphetamine concealed in heads of fish packed in cartons for export to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates through the SAHCO shed of the Lagos Airport.
The 11.90kg consignment was brought to the SAHCO export shed of the airport on 5th August by a freight agent, Adekunle Oluwapelumi Paul from Kogi State, who was promptly arrested upon the 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.
On the 6th of August, 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 who arrested the freight agent, Ajisefini Lateef that presented the cargo for export at the SAHCO shed.
Meanwhile, anti-narcotic officers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu also arrested a 50-year-old Mgbeobuna Victor Eberechukwu for ingesting 77 pellets of cocaine. He was arrested on 6th August following his arrival from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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.
In Kaduna State, three suspects; Saifullahi Sani, Salisu Nafi’u and Abdulrazaq Mamman, were arrested in Zaria on Thursday with 1,112,350 tablets of Tramadol (225mg and 100mg) weighing 38.3kg, while in Kano, a female drug dealer, Saratu Abdullahi from Wurno council area of the state was nabbed at Hotoro with 541 blocks of cannabis weighing 245kg.
The NDLEA spokesman in Lagos, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday,, disclosed that operatives of the agency recovered 1,773.25kg cannabis Sativa at Ebutte-Meta and Akala in Mushin areas of the state in separate raid operations between 9th and 10th August 2022, while 86 parcels of cannabis indica (Colorado), weighing 43kg were recovered from a 40ft container during a joint examination with Customs and other security agencies at the Tincan seaport in Lagos.
The illegal consignment seized on Friday came from Toronto via Montreal, Canada and was concealed in two drums inside a Mercedes Benz SUV in the container.
However, two suspects; Nnanna Ijo and Orji Uguru were arrested in Abia the same Friday 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.