Over 22,160 kilogrammes of codeine syrup, methamphetamine and skunk have been seized at the Apapa Seaport and a notorious drug den in the Akala area of Mushin, Lagos State, in two major operations in the state by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
It was learnt that a total of 14,080kg codeine syrup (8,080 litres) and 4,352.43kg cold caps used to conceal the former in a 40-foot container imported from India were intercepted on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, at the Apapa port.
A statement on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the seizure followed intelligence from foreign partners and cooperation of other port stakeholders.
“At Akala, NDLEA Strike Force operatives in their numbers with support from the military stormed fortified warehouses in the drug den and evacuated bags and bottles of cannabis, loud, skunk, skuchies and methamphetamine as well as 17 suspects for further investigation.”
Five of the suspects were said to be females.
Meanwhile, a female drug kingpin, Jemilat Seriki, who is one of the owners of 12,385 pellets of loud imported from Ghana and intercepted at the Eko Atlantic Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday, November 27, 2021, has been arrested by narcotic officers after weeks of manhunt.
The NDLEA said, “Seriki, aka Iya Ilorin, admitted to being one of the owners of the consignments seized, adding that her bags of drugs had ‘Jah Bless’ written on them. When eventually identified and sorted, she had 16 bags with the inscription containing drugs weighing 668.85kg.
“In Niger State, a 64-year-old former Divisional Police Officer of Idanre Police Station, Ondo State, who was dismissed from service for drug offences, Monday Chika, has again been arrested with an accomplice, Emmanuel Eniola, 40, with 280 blocks of compressed cannabis, weighing 168kg. They were arrested on Sunday, January 30, in Mokwa, Niger State, after their Toyota Avalon, marked EKY 429 BZ (Lagos), loaded with the substance at Idanre and heading for Kanji, Borgu area of the state, was intercepted.
“At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, attempts by some traffickers to export different quantities of Methamphetamine to Brazil and United Kingdom were scuttled by narcotic officers at the airport.
“The first bid was made on Friday, January 28, through the SAHCO export shed where operatives intercepted 0.80kg of Meth concealed in relaxer plastic container heading to the UK. A suspect, Akuta Chioma Lucy, who presented the consignment for search, was arrested for further investigation.
“The second attempt was on Friday, February 4, during the outward clearance of passengers at Gate ‘C’ Departure Hall of the airport when an intending male passenger on an Ethiopian airline going to Brazil, Onyeaghala Chidi, was intercepted with 500grams of meth concealed inside three plastic hair relaxer containers.
“Also at the airport, a male passenger, Iliyasu Yushau, coming from Kampala, Uganda, via Nairobi, Kenya, was intercepted by operatives with 268 debit cards belonging to Access Bank, GTBank and Zenith Bank, during the inward clearance of passengers on the flight on Sunday, January 30.
“In Edo State, operatives on Friday, February 4, stormed the Igbogiri forest, Orhionwon LGA and destroyed four dry season cannabis farms measuring 3.067718 hectares, following the evacuation of 20 bags of compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 269.5kg stored in a bush at Uzebba, Owan West LGA, the previous day and the arrest of Afadama James, 42, with 348kg cannabis at Owan, Ovia North East LGA on Wednesday, February 2.”
The agency said operatives in Delta State also arrested a 21-year-old student of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Kate Osagie, over a 17.6g designer drug she ordered from Onitsha, Anambra State.
In Plateau State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a truck marked, LSD857XB, coming from Ekpoma, Edo State, with 885 blocks of cannabis sativa that weighed 736kg.
The sum of N400,000 paid to bribe the arresting officers was reportedly warehoused as part of exhibits for prosecution, just as two suspects: Ebunoluwa Babalola, 40, and Sulyman Sheu, 30, were arrested at Ganmo, Ilorin, Kwara State, with 90kg of cannabis.
