Cocaine concealed in different parts of a travel bag brought into Nigeria was intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

It was being couriered by a Brazil returnee, Charles Uchemadu, according to a release by NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Babafemi said the suspect, returning from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, December 5, during inward clearance of passengers.

He said this followed the discovery of three parcels of cocaine weighing 2.70 kilogrammes factory sealed in parts of his travel bag.

Mr Babafemi said NDLEA operatives equally intercepted cans of powdered milk, baby food and beverages used to conceal 3.4 kilogrammes of cannabis going to Dubai, UAE.

He said the arrest was made at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) export shed of the airport on the same day.

“A freight agent, Ewelike Chibuike Cyril, who presented the consignment for export, was subsequently arrested,” he said.

Similarly, parcels of cannabis weighing 6.30kgs concealed in sound systems (speakers) going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, through the SAHCO export shed of the airport were also seized on Thursday, December 8.

Mr Bababfemi said NDLEA operatives who initially arrested a freight agent, Joseph Obiji, also nabbed another agent, Mbanu Ifeanyi.

He said this was in a follow-up operation at ASPAMDA market, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos, on Friday, December 9.

Also, no fewer than 15 drug dealers, including two females, were arrested with 1,400kgs of cannabis sativa, among other illicit substances.

Mr Babafemi said the suspects were arrested at Akala notorious drug hub Mushin, Lagos, with heroin, methamphetamine, and 320 bottles of codeine syrup during a raid of the area on Friday, December 9.

He said another raid of the popular Idumota business district of Lagos Island on Saturday, December 10, led to the seizure of 35,014 pills of tramadol.

This, he said, included diazepam, Rohypnol and 21.2 litres of codeine syrup while a targeted notorious dealer was still on the run.

“This is even as officers of the Directorate of Seaports Operations of the agency arrested a Malian, Dembele Ousmane, on Monday, December 5, with 32,400 capsules of tramadol 225mg.

“They were concealed in factory-packed buckets of custard while attempting to travel to Mali via boat at Ebute -Ero Jetty in Lagos,“ he said. 

(NAN)