NATIONAL NATIONAL

NDLEA Intercepts Parcels Of Cocaine From Brazil

Written by Basirat Memudu

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, have 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 Monday, December 5, at the Lagos airport during 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 same day, NDLEA 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 airport were also seized on Thursday, December 8 by the operatives who initially arrested a freight agent, Joseph Obiji involved and later the following day, Friday, December 9, 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 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, December 9.

Another raid of the popular Idumota business district of Lagos Island on Saturday, December 10, 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 Monday, December 5 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.

RN