Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have discovered a new mode of drug concealment by drug traffickers to evade being detected by the Agency.
This latest discovery was made when the operatives uncovered 442 parcels of Crystal Methamphetamine concealed in heads of fish packed in cartons for export to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
The drugs were to be shipped to Dubai through the SAHCO shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.
It was gathered that the 11.90kg consignment was brought to the SAHCO export shed of the airport on Friday, August 5, by a freight agent, Adekunle Oluwapelumi Paul, 32.
Oluwapelumi moved the drugs from Yagba West LGA, Kogi State to Lagos.
The suspect 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 100 pieces of smoked catfish.
According to a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, another consignment containing 1.45kg cannabis concealed inside granulated melon and crayfish and packed among other food condiments going to Dubai, UAE was seized.
The items were also intercepted by NDLEA operatives who arrested the freight agent, Ajisefini Lateef that presented the cargo for export at the SAHCO shed.
The statement added that the 39-year-old agent is from Abeokuta West LGA, Ogun State.
“Meanwhile, anti-narcotic officers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu have arrested a 50-year-old Mgbeobuna Victor Eberechukwu for ingesting 77 pellets of cocaine
“He was arrested on Saturday 6th Aug, 2022, following his arrival from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia onboard an Ethiopian airline flight.
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.” The statement reads.
In another development, three suspected drug traffickers were also arrested in Zaria, Kaduna, on August 11, with 1,112,350 tablets of Tramadol (225mg and 100mg) weighing 38.3kg.
The suspects are Saifullahi Sani, Salisu Nafi’u,,, and Abdulrazaq Mamman.
Also in Kano, a female drug dealer, Saratu Abdullahi, 28, from Wurno Council Area of the State was nabbed at Hotoro with 541 blocks of cannabis weighing 245kg.
“In Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered a total of 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.
“At the Tincan S
seaport in Lagos, 86 parcels of cannabis indica (Colorado) weighing 43kg were recovered from a 40ft container during a joint examination with Customs and other security agencies
“The illegal consignment seized on Friday 12th Aug came from Toronto via Montreal, Canada and concealed in two drums inside a Mercedes Benz SUV in the container
“In Abia, two suspects: N, nanna Ijo, 58, and Orji Uguru, 29, were arrested on Friday 12th Aug. with various quantities of cannabis, heroin, and cocaine at Nde-Agbai, Abiriba, a week after Nnanna was released from detention over a similar offense committed in June
Babafemi stated that the Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), charged the officers and their compatriots across the country to always maintain steps ahead of the drug cartels.
According to him, Marwa commended the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Tincan, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, and Abia Commands of the Agency for the seizures and arrests.