NDLEA intercepts cocaine concealed in religious books
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a shipment of cocaine concealed in 20 sets of religious books being shipped to Saudi Arabia.
The 500grams cocaine consignment of 20 parcels was uncovered at a courier company in Lagos on April 15.
At another courier company same day, NDLEA officers intercepted five parcels of Loud cannabis weighing 2.8 kilograms hidden in a carton from the United States.
In Kano, a 22-year-old supplier of illicit substances to bandits, Muhammad Mohammed was arrested by an NDLEA patrol team along Bichi-Kano road while heading to Katsina with 277 ampoules of pentazocine injection tied to his thigh and private parts.
He was intercepted on April 13, while another suspect, Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdulaziz, 43, was nabbed same day at Rimin Kebe area of Kano with 68 blocks of skunk cannabis weighing 30kg.
Meanwhile, 557.2kg of skunk, 5.6kg of methamphetamine and 29.8grams of heroin were recovered from a house along Major General Isaiah Alllison Street, Opolo, Yenagoa in Bayelsa state, with four suspects arrested when NDLEA operatives raided the premises on April 16.
The four suspects arrested during the raid include: Sarimiye Suwa Kurtis, 46; Roland Prosper, 34; Sarimiye Tare Paul, 45; and Fidelis Ugbesla, 46.
Similarly, a total of 1,100 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a delivery van with the driver, Ismail Abdullahi arrested in Surulere area of Lagos on April 17, while NDLEA operatives in Kaduna on April 18, raided the hideout of a suspect, Ike Ani, 30, in Zaria, where no fewer than 31,950 pills of tramadol 225mg and diazepam were recovered.
In Kebbi State, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bagudo road on April 18 intercepted a vehicle loaded with bags of charcoal coming from Malabil, Benin Republic.
“A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 97kg skunk concealed in the sacks of charcoal. Three suspects: Abubakar Ibrahim, 50; Mustapha Aliyu, 32; and Bashar Lawali, 28, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
Another drug trafficker, Okafor Marcel, 48, was nabbed with 11.5kg skunk at Abatete in Anambra state while NDLEA operatives in Osun state on April 15 arrested one Ajala Mercy, 27, with 43 litres of skushi, a mixture of black currant, cannabis and opioids concealed in her room at Dada estate, Halleluyah area of Osogbo.
Another major hit recorded by the NDLEA was the destruction of 3,717.8625kg of cannabis planted on 1.487145 hectares in Egbeta forest, Ovia North East LGA, Edo state. A total of 136.5kg of processed cannabis was seized.
At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, a suspect, who has been on the run for two years, Basorun Usman Kayode, 40, was arrested by NDLEA officers in connection with 107kg Loud imported from Cannada in 2023, while another suspect, Dauda Yakubu who distributes illicit drugs within the seaport community was arrested by a team of operatives on Monday 14th April.
