The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered 70 parcels of cocaine packed in the walls of cocoa butter formula body cream containers heading to London, United Kingdom.

NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday that operatives uncovered the drugs at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos, and arrested three suspects in a series of follow-up operations across Lagos.

He said the cocaine consignments weighing 3.60 kilogrammes were discovered on October 14 during examination of cargoes packaged as personal effects going to London, UK, on an Air Peace flight.

Mr Babafemi also said a cargo agent who presented the consignment for airfreight was promptly arrested, while investigations stretching into two weeks led to the arrest of two principal suspects.

He said this was linked to the attempt to export the concealed Class A drug to the UK.

“In a follow-up operation on October 18, a female healthcare worker was arrested following the chief executive officer of a travel agency, who was arrested at his office on Monday, October 20,” he said.

In a similar development, NDLEA stopped an attempt by a 35-year-old Lesotho national to export 103.59 grams of methamphetamine.

Mr Babafemi said the drugs were concealed in a diabetes herbs coffee tea pack en route to the Philippines on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu on Wednesday.

He said the NDLEA officers arrested the suspected drug trafficker and recovered the illicit drug.

In the same vein, no fewer than 21,950 capsules of tramadol 250mg concealed inside a 100-litre water heater were recovered from a suspect, who was arrested by NDLEA operatives.

Mr Babafemi said the suspect was nabbed at Bode Saadu in the Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State on Tuesday, October 21, following credible intelligence.

He said the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Lagos Commands for the arrests and seizures.

Mr Marwa urged them and their colleagues across the country to continue the agency’s balanced approach to drug control efforts.

(NAN)