Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Tincan seaport, Apapa and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, both in Lagos State, have intercepted consignments of Colorado concealed in vehicles imported from Montreal, Canada and packs of cannabis juice flown in from South Africa, meant for distribution for the Christmas season.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that no fewer than 12 suspects, including two dock workers and a wine shop owner, have been arrested in connection with the two seizures.
He said this is apart from the recovery of 152kgs of skunk from two dealers in Kano; 100,000 pills of Tramadol in Imo State and 520kgs of cannabis hidden in soft drinks crates loaded in a truck coming to Abuja, FCT.
“At the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport, the search of a consolidated cargo from South Africa led to the discovery of smuggled bottled cannabis juice with a gross weight of 16.50kgs on December 21.
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“Investigations by anti-narcotics officers subsequently led to the arrest of four freight agents – Soremekun Olalekan Wasiu; Olufisayo Dayo; Moruf Olusegun Bashir and Imole Moses Ajayi – whose statements eventually led to the arrest of the consignee, a wine shop owner, Emebede Chuka, the following day Thursday 22nd December,” Babafemi said.
Also, an attempt to export cannabis and ecstasy pills, also known as MDMA, concealed in beverage drink, Bournvita, containers to Dubai, UAE, through the NAHCO export shed on December 23 was frustrated while a vulcaniser given the assignment for a fee of N4,000, Iyanda Ogunleye Yaya, has been arrested.
Also, a consignment of 185 parcels of cannabis Indica, popularly called Colorado weighing 61.3kgs was seized during the examination of a container at the Tincan seaport, Lagos.
The container marked MSCU5206726 from Montreal, Canada, was declared as containing three units of used vehicles but upon a 100% examination, it was found to contain two vehicles; a 2009 Toyota Corolla car and a 2009 Ford Econoline bus as well as used car engines, bicycles, shoes and other items including the drugs.
Two dock workers — Abdulquadri Abdulazeez and Ogbuji Kenneth — are already in NDLEA custody in connection with the seizure following their arrest by the port security and police.
