NDLEA intercepts N1.33bn drugs at Lagos seaport, arrests suspects

NDLEA intercepts N1.33bn drugs at Lagos seaport, arrests suspects

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency {NDLEA}said it operatives intercepted no fewer than 2,750,000 tablets of tramadol 225mg weighing 1,650 kilogrammes worth N1, 375,000,000 at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.

Theconscienceng gathered that the consignment, packed in 55 cartons of tapentadol and carisoprodol types of tramadol, was seized during the examination of a container on Saturday, July 30, following credible intelligence.

Recall that recent efforts by anti-narcotic officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, thwarted bids by drug traffickers to export various psychoactive substances to London, United Kingdom; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, through the Lagos airport in the past week, leading to the arrest of at least five suspects in connection to the attempts so far.

A statement by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, read, “On Monday, July 25, a Dubai, UAE-bound passenger, one Ms Ebhodaghei Osenemeshen, was intercepted during the outward clearance of travellers on Rwanda Air via Kigali to Dubai. Discovered in her luggage were sachets of Tramadol 225mg concealed inside garri, a cassava product packed, among other foodstuffs.

“She, however, claimed that the bag was given to her by someone who she passed the night in his house before coming to the airport to help deliver it to another person in Dubai. The following day, Tuesday, July 26, a total of 50 blocks of cannabis sativa with a total weight of 27.1kg concealed inside a large quantity of crayfish going to London, UK, as part of a consolidated cargo were seized at the SAHCO export shed.

“The same day, a Dubai-bound female passenger, Rachel Emebradu, was arrested with 1.8kg cannabis packed inside bitter leaf in her luggage while attempting to board a Rwandan Air flight to UAE, via Kigali. The mother of one, who hails from Oghara in the Ethiope West LGA of Delta State, said she was into selling men’s wear before she decided to travel to Dubai to expand her clothing business. She claimed her ex-boyfriend that lives in Dubai requested her to bring the bag containing the illicit substance along with foodstuffs.”