By John Ugo
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested an Indian Businessman for being in possession of over 29kg of heroine, Meth, Khat worth several millions of Naira.
The suspect, Vyapak Nutal, was intercepted aboard a flight to the US, UK, Dubai at Lagos Airport.
Vyapak Nutal was taken into custody for interrogation by operatives of the NDLEA, over the smuggling of 134,700 bottles of Codeine syrup into the country through the land border between Nigeria and Niger Republic in Sokoto state.
The suspect was found to have loaded the consignment into trucks in Cotonou, Benin Republic and drove through the land borders via Niger Republic before entering Sokoto state at the Illela border.
A statement by Mr Femi Babafemi,the Director, Media & Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, stated that the suspect had settled in a hotel in Sokoto state before his arrest.
He said that operatives of the Department of State Services picked up the Indian when he began to look for buyers for the controlled drug.
According to Babafemi, while operatives were on his trail, officers of the Department of State Service were able to apprehend him and handed him over to NDLEA on Wednesday 10th February 2022.”.
He said also that attempts by drug traffickers to export large quantities of Heroin, Methamphetamine, Khat, Tramadol and Cannabis through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport as well as three courier companies in Lagos have been frustrated by narcotic officers who intercepted the illicit consignments.
Babafemi stated that operatives of the Agency at the Lagos Airport, on Tuesday February 8, arrested one Felix Rotimi Eshemokhai with 1.75kg heroin while trying to board Royal Air Maroc to Casablanca, Morocco.
He said that another trafficker, Okafor Emmanuel Onuzuruike, was also nabbed same day while attempting to travel on Rwanda Air to Dubai with 2.2kg of Cannabis concealed in food stuffs.
The agency disclosed further that not less than 25 kilograms of Methamphetamine, Tramadol, Cannabis and Khat concealed in motor parts, MP3 player, speaker and fabrics heading to USA, UK, Australia, Dubai and Madagascar were seized at three major courier companies in Lagos.
He added that 31, 000 capsules of Tramadol were recovered from a truck that left Onitsha, Anambra state for Mubi, Adamawa state and the owner, Ibrahim Tukur Bage, was arrested on Friday 11th Feb, while attempting to escape in Gombe state,
Babafemi added that his arrest followed the arrest of Aliu Salami, 43, with 143.9kg cannabis at Oke-Ata, Abeokuta South LGA, Ogun state on Wednesday 9th February this year.
He stated also that a bunch of talisman (charms) used by a trans-border drug dealer, Shu’aibu Salisu, could not save him and his gang as their consignment of 578kg of Cannabis meant for Niger Republic was intercepted in Kwara state on 8th Feb when two persons, Gambo Lawal and Ibrahim Mohammed, were arrested while conveying the drug to a dealer in Charanchi, Katsina State.
He said that a follow up operation by the agency led to the arrest of Salisu and two others; Sani Musa and Auwal Amina at different locations within Kaita LGA, Katsina.
Babafemi noted further that operatives arrested a fake security agent, Mr. Dennis Emadiong on Saturday at NDLEA check point in Alaide, Benue State with 239grams of cannabis and 10 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition on his way from Akwa Ibom to Maiduguri, Borno state.
Another suspect, Stephen Folorunsho was also nabbed during a routine stop and search operation, along Apir-Makurdi road with 147 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 130kg stuffed inside bales of used clothes popularly called Okrika on his way to Gombe State.
Also, no fewer than 22,700 tablets of Tramadol and Exol-5 were seized in Numan area of the Adamawa State from two drug dealers: Mmaduabuchibeya Kingsley and Onyeke Kenneth in separate raids on Thursday 10th February.