Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine and tramadol 225mg concealed in 71 vehicle side mirrors being sent to Libreville, Gabon.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday that the drugs were shipped through the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

Mr Babafemi said that not less than three suspects linked to the cargo have already been arrested in follow-up operations.

“The first batch of the consignment, consisting of 57,420 pills of tramadol 225mg and 57 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.60kg, were intercepted in a cargo going to Gabon on Air Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday, July 19.

“A popular cargo agent, Ihekweme Osinachi, handling the shipment, was immediately arrested, after which further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect, Uzochukwu Chukwurah, on Sunday, July 20.

“Eleven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 1kg were later recovered from four additional side mirrors being prepared for export, found in the home of Uzochukwu on Monday, July 21.

“This brings the total number of parcels of cocaine to 68 weighing 2.60 kilogrammes,” he said.

In a related development, NDLEA operatives arrested a businesswoman, Rosanna Nwafor, on Friday, August 1, at her shop within the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos.

Mr Babafemi said her arrest followed the interception of 100 grams of cocaine and 300 grams of phenacetine.

He said this was a cutting agent, concealed in ladies’ lipsticks, going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, through the export shed of the Lagos airport on July 10.

“Two cargo agents linked to the shipment were earlier arrested before the eventual arrest of Nwafor, who runs the criminal trade as a family business with her husband, Remigus Nwafor, currently on the run.

“In her statement, Mrs. Nwafor admitted she bought the lipsticks used to conceal the illicit drugs while her husband handled the actual concealment,” he said.

(NAN)