By Hallimah Olamide
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of skunk concealed in tomato paste tins and methamphetamine hidden in used clothes.
The hard drugs were meant for export to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
A statement by the NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja stated that the skunk in tomato pastes consignment weighing 20.00 kilograms was intercepted on Friday Sept. 8.
Babafemi said that the illicit drugs were seized at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja.
He said that the meth shipment with a gross weight of 1.60kg was seized at a courier company in Lagos.
Meanwhile, another consignment of 556 grams of Canadian Loud sent from Canada to one Tunji Adebayo in Ikorodu, Lagos was also intercepted by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, (DOGI) , attached to courier firms.
Babafemi said that, though Adebayo was not home when operatives visited his house, he directed his younger brother to sign for the package on his behalf.
“The brother was promptly arrested,”he said.
In another development, NDLEA operatives on Monday Sept. 4 raided the enclave of a notorious drug lord in Akala, Mushin, Lagos.
Babafemi said that 1,101kgs of Ghanaian Loud were recovered and three suspects arrested, while the wanted kingpin remains at large.
Again, in Kogi, a 22-year-old suspect was arrested with 77.400kgs cannabis on Sept. 7, along Okene – Lokoja – Abuja expressway.
Babafemi said that a total of 369,980 pills of opioids were also recovered on the same road on Monday Sept. 4 and the suspect linked to the seizure arrested in a follow-up operation in Gombe state.
He said that beside various drug control efforts, state Commands and other formations have continued the Agency’s War Against Drug Abuse, (WADA) , advocacy campaigns to schools, worship places, palaces and local communities among others.
Babafemi said the agency’s WADA advocacy visit has taken them to the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maji.
He said sensitisation lectures were being conducted in several areas of the country.