The agency seized consignments concealed in various items including incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves, and ladies’ native wears at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and some courier firms in Lagos.
Efforts by drug syndicates to smuggle cocaine and loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, into and out of Nigeria have been foiled by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The agency seized consignments concealed in various items including incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves, and ladies’ native wears at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and some courier firms in Lagos.
Additionally, a businessman, Abdulwahab Owolabi Alebiosu, was arrested at his residence in Lekki, Lagos on July 18, 2024.
According to Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy, the agency has made significant seizures and arrests in relation to these smuggling attempts.
His arrest followed the seizure of a consignment of 40 parcels of Loud weighing 20.30 kilograms hidden in packs of chessboards, scrabbles, checkers, and poker set, brought in from Canada on a British Airways flight.
The drug was intercepted at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport during a joint examination of the cargo with men of customs service.
A search of his home also led to the recovery of more exhibits including some drug paraphernalia, such as, weighing scale, and cannabis potency test kit, while four vaping machines were recovered from his business premises on Admiralty Way, Lekki.
The statement said, “A Mikano black truck with registration number FST 657 HP was also recovered from his house.
“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA on Friday 19th July intercepted two jumbo bags going to Pakistan.
“The bags contained dried hibiscus leaves, dried bitter leaves and other food items, which were used to conceal four parcels of cocaine and 14 parcels of Loud, both weighing 1.360kg.
“Further investigations led to the arrest of a businesswoman, Eze Queen Ogechi who claimed she was sending the illicit consignment to Pakistan on the instruction of her brother, Eze Nnamdi Promise based in the South Asia country.”
