KEY POINTS
-
NDLEA arrested a Ugandan woman with 1.15kg of cocaine at Lagos airport.
-
Operatives seized 750,000 Tapentadol tablets valued at ₦900m.
-
Major drug seizures and arrests were also recorded in Ondo, Ekiti, Edo and Taraba states.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested a 34-year-old Ugandan woman at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos for allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.15 kilogrammes of cocaine to Uganda.
The suspect was intercepted at the screening point of Terminal 2 during a joint passenger screening operation involving NDLEA operatives and aviation security personnel.
According to the agency, a search revealed 87 wraps of cocaine strapped around her pelvic region and concealed beneath two layers of underwear.
The NDLEA said the woman told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church to attend a prayer session at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Ikotun, Lagos.
She allegedly remained in the country after the other members of her delegation returned to Uganda, claiming that she had been asked by a friend in Uganda to collect the drugs.
The agency said the suspect was directed to a contact in Nigeria who arranged her transportation to a hotel, where she received the consignment. She was allegedly promised at least $1,000 for successfully delivering the drugs.
NDLEA Seizes ₦900m Worth of Tapentadol
In a separate operation at the Lagos airport on November 6, NDLEA operatives intercepted 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526 kilogrammes and valued at approximately ₦900 million.
The consignment arrived from Ahmedabad, India, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight on November 3 and was declared as Paracetamol Tablets 500mg.
According to the agency, the drugs were concealed in 10 of the 11 cartons packed inside two wooden structures. The remaining carton contained paracetamol tablets, allegedly intended to serve as cover for the shipment.
Operatives also intercepted 32 parcels of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 16.15 kilogrammes, concealed inside two wooden sofas in a consolidated cargo shipment from Houston, Texas, in the United States.
Two suspects were arrested during the initial interception and a subsequent follow-up operation.
Agency Uncovers Synthetic Cannabis Chemical Importation Network
The NDLEA also reported uncovering a syndicate allegedly involved in importing chemicals used to manufacture Colorado, a synthetic cannabis product, from the United Kingdom.
The investigation followed the interception of nine parcels concealed in cartons of snacks in a consolidated cargo shipment that arrived aboard an Air Peace flight on October 23.
The agency said two of the parcels contained 1.20 kilogrammes of cannabis, while forensic analysis confirmed that the other seven contained chemicals used in producing synthetic cannabis.
Two suspects were arrested in connection with the shipment and subsequent deliveries from the UK.
Further searches led to the recovery of 3.30 kilogrammes of substances concealed in detergent packs and 16.25 kilogrammes of mostly liquid chemicals stored in plastic bottles.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 1.20 kilogrammes of cannabis and 28.65 kilogrammes of chemicals allegedly intended for the production of synthetic cannabis.
Cannabis and Tramadol Shipments Intercepted
At courier companies in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 46 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.2 kilogrammes on November 3. The drugs were packaged in two cartons for shipment to the United Kingdom.
The agency also reported intercepting 296 tablets of Swinol destined for Australia on October 30, alongside three consignments of tramadol intended for the UK.
The tramadol shipments included 20 capsules from Benin City and 96 capsules from Sapele, Delta State, concealed in vitamin C containers. Another consignment contained 600 tablets of Tramadol 225mg from Asaba, hidden inside women’s headwear.
In a separate operation on November 6, operatives arrested a 32-year-old man at Marine Beach in Apapa, Lagos, after discovering a drug storage facility inside his apartment.
Items recovered included 1.06 kilogrammes of Tramadol 250mg, 1.27 kilogrammes of Tramadol 225mg, 400 grammes of pregabalin capsules, 355 grammes of diazepam, 200 millilitres of codeine and 6.07 kilogrammes of cannabis.
Major Cannabis Seizures Recorded in Four States
Beyond Lagos, the agency reported significant drug seizures and arrests in Ondo, Ekiti, Edo and Taraba states.
In Ondo State, operatives recovered 148 bags of cannabis weighing 1,818 kilogrammes during a raid along Odofin Road in Uso on November 6.
On the same day, officers raided a cannabis farm in Board Forest, destroyed a one-hectare plantation and recovered 242 kilogrammes of cannabis. A 36-year-old suspect was arrested.
In neighbouring Ekiti State, a 53-year-old man was arrested at Osin Forest, Osin Ekiti, on November 5 with 216 kilogrammes of cannabis and cannabis seeds.
Edo State operatives intercepted a Volkswagen Golf carrying 19 bags of cannabis weighing 201 kilogrammes along the Auchi-Ibillo Road in Akoko Edo Local Government Area. The driver and a passenger were arrested.
Three other suspects were apprehended during a raid on a suspected drug joint along Ihama Road in the GRA area of Benin City. The operation led to the recovery of quantities of Colorado, Loud and cannabis.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives arrested three suspects with 283 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 226.255 kilogrammes during stop-and-search operations at the agency’s checkpoint in Lankaviri, Yorro Local Government Area.
The arrests took place over two days. One suspect was apprehended on November 5 with 156 blocks weighing 149.275 kilogrammes, while another was arrested the same day with 80 blocks weighing 40.07 kilogrammes.
The NDLEA said the operations formed part of its efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks, intercept illicit consignments and dismantle local drug distribution and production activities.
