Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted consignments of cocaine bound for China and Italy, respectively, through a logistics company in Lagos.

Femi Babafemi, spokesperson for the NDLEA, announced this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

Mr Babafemi said the drugs were concealed in a local mortar and the false bottom of a backpack packaged for shipment.

He said NDLEA officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI) made the seizures on Thursday.

This, he said, included 250 grams of cocaine factory-fitted into the base of a local mortar packed in a carton for export to China.

“Others are 500grams of the same Class A drug hidden in the false bottom of a backpack being shipped to Italy,” he said.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Rivers State arrested a notorious 38-year-old drug dealer at Eagle Island Port Harcourt, following credible intelligence.

Mr Babafemi said the suspect was nabbed with various quantities of cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, swinol, tramadol and codeine syrup at the time of his arrest on July 26

Also, NDLEA officers on a stop-and-search operation at DMGS roundabout, Onitsha, intercepted a truck marked XK 131 BDG on July 27.

Mr Babafemi said the truck was loaded with 26,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 3,960 kg, and the truck driver was arrested.

Similarly, 331.84 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a Toyota Sienna bus with registration number KUJ 26 DV along Kwale/Ughelli expressway, in Delta on July 26.

In the same vein, NDLEA officers in Nasarawa State arrested a 64-year-old with 68 kg of skunk and 29 grams of methamphetamine at Asso Angwan Muazu, Karu area of the state on Tuesday.

“In Zamfara, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Zaria- Gusau highway on Monday, July 27 intercepted a suspect conveying 7,400 pills of tramadol 225mg suspected to be supplies for criminal elements.

“With the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, in the past week.

“These include: WADA enlightenment lectures for students and staff of Hausawa Special Primary School, Kano; Royal Crown School, Oluyole, Ibadan; Government Secondary School, Ibi, Taraba; and drivers at Challenge Bus Terminal Park, Ibadan, Oyo State, among others,” Mr Babafemi said.

He said the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa commended the officers and men of the DOGI, Rivers, Anambra, Delta, Nasarawa, and Zamfara commands for the various successful operations.

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

(NAN)