By Jemimah Wellingto, JKNMedia Reporter
THE NATIONAL Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted multiple consignments of illicit drugs concealed in tins of Cerelac baby food and clothes.
They seized these shipments, bound for the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK), at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and a courier firm in Lagos.
On July 31, 2024, officers recovered 36 parcels of cannabis hidden in six cartons of Nestle Cerelac tins.
Each tin contained six containers, with a total weight of 18.50 kilograms.
The consignment, presented for export to the UK by freight agent Salaudeen Suliat Abiola, led to her arrest.
A follow-up operation in Ibadan on August 3 resulted in the arrest of Bello Motunrayo Folu, the sender, at her residence in Mofoluwasho Estate, Akobo, Oyo State.
The Cerelac tins were sealed at the top and tampered with at the bottom to conceal the drugs, covered with loose quantities of baby cereal to avoid detection.
However, vigilant NDLEA officers uncovered the scheme.
Additionally, NDLEA operatives disrupted five shipments of opioids and other psychoactive substances, including promethazine, pentazocine, diazepam, tramadol, and morphine.
These drugs were hidden in clothes and other items intended for export to the US and UK.
One shipment, containing 820 grams of promethazine and pentazocine injections, was headed to the US.
The remaining parcels, totaling over two kilograms of opioids, were bound for the UK.
The interceptions occurred on July 29 at a logistics company in Lagos.
On August 2, NDLEA officers at Tincan Port in Lagos recovered 77 packages of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis.
The drugs were hidden in the body compartments of four vehicles —Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, Toyota Corolla, and Toyota Sienna —imported from Canada.
The total weight of the seized consignments was 38.5 kilograms.
Two suspects, Salami Abiodun Sunday (34) and Lekan Atoyebi (33), tasked with clearing the shipments, were arrested.
Further, on August 1, Isiagu Sunday was arrested in Mushin Ojuoye, Lagos, with 1,740 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 174 liters and 1,070 tablets of Molly weighing 600 grams.
In Ondo State, 50 bags of cannabis with a gross weight of 520 kilograms were found in the bush at Isuada, Owo.
Five suspects were apprehended in Itaogbolu Forest, Akure North LG: Jimoh Omotosho (63), Donald Obi (62), Emmanuel Patrick (21), Kayode Oluwaseun (39), and John Nsikan (34).
In Edo State, 22.5 bags of cannabis weighing 220 kilograms were recovered from Egbeta community, Ovia Northeast.
A suspect, Osayede Aghoma, was arrested.
Another suspect, Ibrahim Abubakar (55), was caught on July 31 with 40 blocks of cannabis weighing 19.2 kilograms along Okene-Lokoja Highway in a commercial bus from Lagos to Kano.
NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) continued with sensitization activities in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities.
These included lectures at Khuddam College of Health Technology in Katsina, Federal Medical Centre in Asaba, and St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Awka.
The WADA team also visited community leaders in Ondo State.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), NDLEA Chairman, commended the officers for their efforts in reducing drug supply and emphasized the importance of WADA activities.
He urged continued vigilance and dedication in the fight against drug trafficking.
NDLEA Trains Marine Officers
In a recent development, Marwa highlighted the NDLEA’s new capabilities in underwater search operations.
Officers of the Marine Command were trained and certified in basic and advanced diving, including full-face mask diving, in Brazil under the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) programme.
This training, involving officers from Nigeria, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, and Senegal, aims to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking.
Marwa stated that this new skill would deter international drug cartels from using Nigerian waters to smuggle drugs.
He assured that the NDLEA would continue to enhance its skills and technology to stay ahead of drug cartels.
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