- Safiu Kehinde
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has, in a week-long operation, intercepted consignments of illicit drugs concealed in blocks of glass ceramics, black soap, and sachets of alcoholic drinks amongst others.
Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to the statement, the agency’s operatives had last week Thursday and Friday raided a courier company in Lagos where three consignments of illicit drugs heading to the United Kingdom were intercepted.
One of the shipments reportedly contained 1.74 kg of methamphetamine concealed in the blocks of glass ceramics.
Another shipment contained 114 grams and 168 grams of pentazocine and tramadol injections respectively while the third consignment contained 48 grams of tramadol capsules concealed in Vitamin C container.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives also burst another set of criminal syndicates, recovering 2.6kg skunk and 422grams tapentadol 250mg concealed in tablets of black soap heading to Turkey.
Another 169 grams of cocaine hidden in lady’s handbags going to Australia and 568 grams of Loud concealed in containers of herbs going to United Arab Emirates were thwarted by NDLEA operatives at some courier companies in Lagos.
At the export shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, a total of 27, 510 pills of rohypnol concealed in sachets of alcoholic drinks going to South Africa were intercepted by NDLEA officers.
The arrest of a freight agent and a cab driver linked to the shipment, led the NDLEA agents to Oyingbo market in Lagos where the mastermind of the consignment, 46-year-old Samuel Omoruyi (alias Yellow) was arrested on the 2nd of October.
Same day, an Italy-based businessman Enehizena Augustine Uyimwen was arrested by operatives while attempting to export 3,700 pills of tramadol 225mg and 2,600 tabs of tapentadol 200mg hidden in food items to the European country.
He claimed he was trafficking the opioids for someone else for a fee of €945.