The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it seized consignments of Colorado in different operations at the Tincan Seaport, Apapa and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

This is contained in a statement by the director, media and advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Babafemi said the drugs, concealed in packs of cannabis juice flown in from South Africa, were meant for distribution ahead of the Christmas festive season.

He said the consignment of 185 parcels of cannabis Indica, popularly called Colorado, weighing 61.3kgs, had been seized during a joint examination of a container at the Tincan seaport, Lagos.

He also said the container marked MSCU5206726 from Montreal, Canada, was declared as containing three units of used vehicles.

“But upon a 100% examination, it was found to contain two vehicles, a 2009 Toyota Corolla car and a 2009 Ford Econoline bus, as well as used car engines, bicycles, shoes and other items including the drugs.

“Two dock workers: Abdulquadri Abdulazeez and Ogbuji Kenneth, are already in NDLEA custody in connection with the seizure following their initial arrest by the Port Security and the Police,“ he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Babafemi said the search of consolidated cargo from South Africa led to the discovery of smuggled bottled Cannabis juice with a gross weight of 16.50kgs on December 21.

This, he said, was at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) import shed of the Lagos airport.

“Investigations by anti-narcotics officers subsequently led to the arrest of four freight agents, Soremekun Olalekan Wasiu, Olufisayo Dayo, Moruf Olusegun Bashir, and Imole Moses Ajayi.

“The suspects’ statements eventually led to the arrest of the consignee, a wine shop business owner, Emebede Chuka, the following day, December 22, “he said.

Also, an attempt to export quantities of cannabis and ecstasy pills, also known as MDMA, concealed in Bournvita containers to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), was stopped.

This, he said, was through the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) export shed on December 23, and a vulcaniser given the assignment for N4,000, Iyanda Ogunleye Yaya, has been arrested.

The NDLEA spokesman said two suspects, Nura Zakariya’u and Alkasim Abubakar, were arrested along Zaria-Kano road, Kwanar Dangora, in Kano state, with 161 blocks of cannabis.

Mr Babafemi said the drugs weighed 152kgs and various quantities of Exol and Codeine-based syrup.

He said 100,000 pills of tramadol were recovered from a suspect, Amaechi Johnson, in Imo state on his way to Onitsha, Anambra state.

“Similarly, a total of 708 kg of cannabis were recovered by operatives from a bus at Ehinogbe, Owo area of Ondo state on December 20,” he said. 

(NAN)