The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a large consignment of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

A statement by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday said the consignment was concealed in the heads of imported dry stockfish.

Mr Babafemi said operatives of the NDLEA also arrested a key member of the syndicate involved in shipping the illicit substance across the world, especially to India.

He said the smashing of the drug syndicate followed intelligence on their trans-border criminal activities.

Mr Babafemi said this led to a well-coordinated sting operation by operatives of the agency’s strategic command at the MMIA in the Ojo area of Lagos on March 19.

“In the course of the operation, three jumbo-sized bags were found in the possession of the kingpin.

“A search of the bags led to the recovery of 237 wraps of cocaine buried in the heads of imported dry stock fish locally known as ‘Okporoko.”

“The cocaine pellets have a gross weight of 5.80 kilogrammes. The consignment was intended for export to Delhi, India,” he said.

Mr Babafemi also said that in another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted, on March 25, two illicit consignments bound for the United Kingdom at a courier company.

He said that in one of the shipments that originated from Cotonou, Benin Republic, 1.9 kilogrammes of methamphetamine were found concealed in automobile filters.

The NDLEA spokesman said the second parcel contained 40 ampoules of Morphine Sulphate and nine ampoules of Fentanyl.

He added that in another major interdiction operation, operatives of a Special Operations Unit (SOU) of the agency, on March 26, raided the house of a female head of a notorious drug syndicate.

Me Babafemi said the 46-year-old suspect was arrested at 13 Carter Street, Yaba, Lagos, along with her salesgirl.

“No fewer than 135 blocks of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 76.30kg, were recovered from them.

“The suspect, popularly known as Iya Ghana, trades in local fabric on the surface, but beneath, she runs a drug distribution network between Nigeria and Ghana.

“Same day, the SOU operatives also arrested another suspect at Doyin bus stop, Surulere, Lagos, following credible intelligence.

“A total of 78 blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 41kg were seized from him,” he said.

Mr Babafemi said the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa commended the officers and men of MMIA, SOU, and DOGI commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures.

Mr Marwa also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between the NDLEA’s drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

(NAN)