NDLEA intercepts cocaine, loud hidden in candles, ladies’ wears in Lagos

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has intercepted the consignments of cocaine and loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis concealed in incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves and ladies’ native wears through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA.

NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement, saying the interception was carried out during a joint examination of the cargo with men of Customs Service.

Babafemi explained that a businessman, Abdulwahab Owolabi Alebiosu was on Thursday 18th July 2024 arrested at his Horizon Court, Lekki, Lagos residence after a consignment of 40 parcels of Loud weighing 20.30 kilograms brought in from Canada on a British Airways flight was intercepted at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport.

According to him, “Frantic bids by drug syndicates to smuggle in and out of Nigeria consignments of Cocaine and Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis concealed in incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves and ladies’ native wears through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, and some courier firms in Lagos have been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, following the seizure of the illicit shipments and arrests of suspects linked to them.

He further stated, “A search of his home also led to the recovery of more exhibits including some drug paraphernalia, such as, weighing scale, and cannabis potency test kit, while four vaping machines were recovered from his business premises on Admiralty Way, Lekki. A Mikano black truck with registration number FST 657 HP was also recovered from his house.”

The statement also stated that, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA on Friday 19th July intercepted two jumbo bags going to Pakistan. The bags contained dried hibiscus leaves, dried bitter leaves and other food items, which were used to conceal four parcels of cocaine and 14 parcels of Loud, both weighing 1.360kg.

According to him, “Further investigations led to the arrest of a businesswoman, Eze Queen Ogechi who claimed she was sending the illicit consignment to Pakistan on the instruction of her brother, Eze Nnamdi Promise based in the South Asia country.”

Similarly,, at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives attached to Terminal II, Departure Gate of the MMIA, on Thursday 18th July intercepted a male Beninese passenger, Orobi Adoubi Amen, travelling with a bag containing some female native dresses.

The suspect was going to Dubai via Accra, Ghana on an Air Peace Airline flight and a connecting flight to Dubai, UAE on Emirates Airline. A thorough search of the bag revealed eight parcels of Loud weighing 2.10kg were concealed in the ladies’ native wears. The suspect claimed he was given the consignment for a fee of N600,000 on successful delivery in Dubai.

The statement further stated, “Not less than 4.5kg of the same substance concealed inside the door panels and boot of an imported Toyota RAV 4 vehicle was on Sunday 14th July recovered from a container marked MSDU 5656394 from Canada during a 100% search of the container at Tincan port in Lagos.

“Two suspects: Dada Kole and Alaba Oladewusi have been arrested in connection with the seizure. Meanwhile, a 48-year-old one legged man, Amadu Garba was arrested by NDLEA operatives in his house at Yawuri town, Kebbi State with six bags of cannabis weighing 67kg on Tuesday 16th July.”