How NDLEA uncovered cocaine inside Anambra monarch’s palace

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Anambra have uncovered various amounts of cocaine and heron stashed in the palace of a ruler in Anambra.

Muhammadu Misbahu Idris, the Anambra State Commander of the NDLEA, said 58.5 grams of cocaine and 13.9 grams of heroine were concealed in the palace of the traditional ruler.

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“Investigations are on-going to unravel how the illicit drugs were hidden in the palace and the palace security guards are helping in tracing the dealer behind the consignment,” he said.

In the same period, officials also arrested a suspected drug trafficker, Hassan Bishi Taiwo, with three parcels of cocaine in false bottom created in his suitcase.

He was intercepted at the E-arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at the weekend.

Taiwo was arrested after he alighted from an Ethiopian Airlines flight at 1.30m on Friday, the agency’s spokesman Femi Babafemi, said on Monday.

Head of the agency’s command at Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba, said the suspect came into Lagos from Addis Ababa but actually travelled to Addis Ababa from Abuja.

“Upon a thorough search, we discovered another ticket on him while our findings also show that he has been plying his criminal trade through some Middle East countries,” he said.

In the same vein, narcotic officers attached to a courier company in Lagos have intercepted 500grammes of unaccompanied cocaine going to the United Arab Emirates and concealed inside the walls of packed cartons containing clothes.

Babafemi said the operatives also intercepted in another courier firm one kilogram of cannabis concealed in cream bottles going to UAE while 500grammes of ketamine hidden in artefacts and going to the US was also recovered from the same company in Lagos.

“Equally, another 480grammes of unaccompanied methamphetamine going to China was recovered from the same courier company,” he said.

Speaking on the developments, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the commanders, men and officers involved in the operations for their vigilance and charged them to continue with the vigour the offensive action maxim of the new leadership of the lead anti-drug agency.