…Nabs 85-year-old grandma with large consignments of illicit substances
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted a Saudi Arabia-bound consignment of skunk concealed in a gallon of palm oil at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, while a search of a shipment at the Apapa Port in Lagos uncovered 8,725 kilograms of powdered tramadol worth over N6.98 billion in street value.
Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, in a statement on Sunday, said the Agency also seized thousands of kilograms of cannabis and large quantities of opioids in Lagos, Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Kano and Kaduna states, arresting dozens of suspects, including an 85-year-old grandmother.
The agency’s report shows that the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, is fast becoming a notorious hub for drug trafficking, as NDLEA officers last week Friday also intercepted a female passenger, named Fatimah Ahmad, with a gallon of palm oil, containing parcels of cannabis weighing 511.75 grams during the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, via Addis Ababa.
According to the anti-nacortic agency “Fatimah told operatives that the gallon was given to her by her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, who was promptly arrested at the Airport car park.
“Following a joint examination with the Customs Service and other agencies at the APM terminals in Apapa, Lagos, NDLEA operatives on 2nd October uncovered a large shipment of powered tramadol from India, declared as maize starch.
“A confirmatory test at the NDLEA forensic laboratory showed the cargo to be tramadol hydrochloride powder.
“When it was separated from its concealment on Wednesday 14th October, it came to 349 bags with a gross weight of 8,725kg, worth over N6.98 billion”, NDLEA said.
Read also: Police intercept vehicle conveying 400 wraps of suspected Indian hemp worth N3.2m in Kogi
In a separate operation at the Tincan Port in Lagos, NDLEA officers had in the course of a joint examination of a container with Customs and others, discovered 55kg of Canadian Loud worth N165 million.
The agency said the drugs were packed in brown cartons and hidden inside a Toyota Sienna vehicle conveyed in the 40-foot container.
The NDLEA operatives, on Wednesday, also raided Idumota market where they arrested Elizabeth Chidera Kalu and recovered 10,600 ampoules of diazepam injection and 6,500 tablets of Molly from her store.
The agency said two 35-year-old men were also arrested in the Mushin area of the State
The suspects, Idowu Daudu was arrested with 59.95kg of skunk, while Ahmed Oniyinde, was nabed with 61.23kg of same substance
The NDLEA said its operatives acting on credible intelligence last week Thursday, intercepted two suspects, Tajudeen Adeduntan, the loading manager and his assistant, Azeez Sikiru, in a truck coming from Trade Fair market with illicit drug consignments along Iyana Oba.
“A search of the truck led to the recovery of 18,000 pills of tramadol 250mg, concealed in cartons labelled as Rambo insecticide”
In Edo, NDLEA operatives raided Warake, Ivhiaro and Ewe/Irue communities in Owan East LGA between 15th and 16th October, arresting six suspects.
Those arrested included 85-year-old Grace Ehimeka, arrested with 179kg of skunk at Warake; Ayo Aigberadion, 53, with 220.8kg at Ewe/Irue; Ali Garba, 57, with 5.852kg; Habib Braimoh, 45, with 100 grams; Musa Mubid, 35, with 2kg of cannabis, cannabis seeds, tramadol, Swinol and diazepam; and Hope Okoro, 35, with 237 grams of loud.
Also acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 17th October raided a cannabis farm in Okemoro Isinbode camp forest, Ondo State, and destroyed 7,500kg skunk on three hectares.
The five suspects arrested include Asikpo Ekpeyoung, 43; Solomon Okpani, 22; Ubong Friday, 35; Joseph Friday, 22; and Ekenimi Seth, 35.
“Exhibits recovered included 92 bags of skunk weighing 1,267kg, 11kg of cannabis seeds and 3kg of fresh stems, a total of 1, 281 kilograms.
“In Owo area of the state, operatives on Friday 16th October, trailed 53-year-old Okunebe Ndidi to his hideout in Ameyinti where they recovered 25 bags of cannabis weighing 375kg”, NDLEA noted.
The agency also revealed that about 894,800 pills of tramadol capsules and exol-5 tablets were recovered from Shamsu Garba, 35, at Ragwam village, Katagum LGA, Bauchi state when NDLEA officers intercepted his Volkswagen Golf wagon car on Wednesday 14th October.
“The same day, operatives on patrol along the Bauchi-Gombe road recovered 291 blocks of cannabis weighing 265kg from an abandoned car at Tudun Natsira village.
“In Kano, two suspects, Ali Abdullahi, 38, and Ibrahim Adamu, 23, were arrested on Tuesday 13th October, along the Zaria-Kano road, with 30,100 tablets of tramadol 225mg seized, while a 54-year-old Murtala Dayyabu was arrested at Niger Street, Malan Kato, with 100,000 tablets of Exol-5
“A raid by NDLEA operatives at Kayimi village, Kaduna state led to the arrest of Mohammed Sani, 48, Zaharadeen Shafiu, 29, and Yakubu Abdullahi, 20, with 496.5kg of cannabis. In a separate raid at Food Palace, Ali Akilu Road, Kaduna, John Ayo David, 39, was arrested with 49,500 tablets of tramadol 225mg, while a 42-year-old suspect, Odo Jonas Ejike was arrested with 29,500 capsules of tramadol at Utako area of Abuja”, it added.
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