I The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 66 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos.

NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday that the drugs, seized by operatives at the import shed of the MMIA, were packaged as green tea.

He said the seizure made on Thursday, June 5, was based on credible intelligence received ahead of the arrival of the consignment at the cargo wing of the airport on May 11.

Mr Babafemi said the NDLEA had watch-listed the shipment and sustained surveillance around it for over three weeks before inviting other stakeholders for a joint examination last Thursday.

“The Loud consignment weighing 62.20kg was concealed inside wraps of green tea that came from Thailand via UAE on an Emirate Airlines flight,” he said.

In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Monday, June 2,  intercepted a consignment of 1,665kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, along the Lekki-Ajah expressway.

Mr Babafemi said two suspects were promptly arrested in connection with the seizure.

Also, operatives of the Kaduna command of the NDLEA, on patrol along the Abuja–Kaduna expressway on Tuesday, June 3, arrested a 29-year-old man.

Mr Babafemi said 612 bottles of codeine-based syrup and 2,970 pills of flunitrazepam were recovered from him.

Meanwhile, in another operation the same day, a 52-year-old wanted drug dealer was arrested at Kurmin Mashi. Mr Babafemi said operatives recovered 25.7kg of skunk from his base.

“A total of 9kg Loud was recovered from the spare tyre compartment of an Audi station wagon car marked AAA 975 XU driven by a 45-year-old man along Auchi road, Edo.

“Two young ladies were on Tuesday, June 3, nabbed at Ikpoba hill area of Benin city. Recovered from them were 106.57kg skunk, 1kg Loud, 800 grams Colorado, and 302 grams of methamphetamine,” he said.

In another development, the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

Mr Babafemi named some of them as lectures delivered to students and staff of Sir Usman Nagogo College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Katsina; Fountain of Knowledge International Academy, Abakaliki, Ebony.

He also mentioned that this included Prof. Eyo Ita Municipal Model Primary School, Calabar, Cross River; Millennium High School, Egbeda, Lagos; and Community Secondary School, Ichida Anaocha, Anambra.

“Zone 13 Command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Amayanabo of Nembe kingdom,  Dr Edmund Dakoru, Mingi Xii, in Nembe, Bayelsa state, among others,” he said.

Mr Babafemi quoted the NDLEA chairman, Buba Marwa, as commending officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, and Edo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures in the past week.

(NAN)