BY Jesupemi Are
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have intercepted 1,274 parcels of cocaine and colorado, a strong strain of cannabis, concealed in household items and vehicles.
In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said the illicit drugs were imported from Durban, South Africa and Canada, and were intercepted at the Tincan seaport in Lagos between January 18 and January 19, 2024.
He said the interception followed months of tracking of containers by three special units of NDLEA in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other security agencies.
“Some of the items recovered from the containers include: 1, 274 parcels of Cocaine and Colorado with a total weight of 884.09 kilograms; four pistols; 197 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 49 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 275 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, 14 rounds of 9mm ammunition and sundry military personnel effects as well as some chemicals in kegs,“ the statement reads.
“With the exception of 32.5kg shipment of Colorado that came in used vehicles from Canada, the rest of the items were found in two of three containers that arrived the Tincan port from Durban, South Africa onboard a vessel marked MSC RESILIENT III and discharged on new year eve, 31st December 2023.
“A suspect linked to one of the containers, UACU 5348336, bearing the 32.5kg Colorado, 41-year-old Akara Chibugo has already been tracked and arrested by NDLEA operatives.”
Meanwhile, in Kano, 5,653,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and exol-5 were seized from three suspects.
The statement said two men, Nura Abdullahi, and Tahir Muhammad Mukhtar, were arrested at Bacharawa area of Kano with 5,404,000 pills of tramadol 250mg on January 14, while one Yusuf Umar was nabbed at Gadar Tamburawa area of the state on January 13 with 249,000 tablets of exol-5.
“In Lagos, two suspects: Ali Abubakar and Murtala Sani were arrested at Ojodu Berger area on Tuesday 16th January with 110kg of cannabis sativa while 69kg of same substance was recovered from the hideout of a fleeing suspect in Akerele, Surulere same day,” the statement reads.
“Not less than 2, 800 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup were recovered by NDLEA officers on Saturday 20th January during a raid operation at Aleita FCT, Abuja. The suspected owner of the consignment, Jideofor Sochima is still at large.”
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