NDLEA seizes 778,190 packs of tramadol in Taraba, others

 

…Arrests India-bound businessman with 9.40kg of heroin in Lagos

 

 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it Intercepted 778,190 pills of pharmaceutical opioids including tramadol from suspects in Taraba and other states.

 

Mr Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

 

Babafemi, said a drum of 270kg Methylene Chloride was recovered by the operatives from a suspect, Eric Yohanna, 33, in Jalingo, Taraba on Monday Feb. 27 following credible intelligence.

 

He said that the operatives also seized a Daylong tricycle used in distributing the illicit substances.

 

Babafemi  further said that the house of a wanted notorious drug dealer in Adamawa, Mamudu Njobdi, was searched at Sebore, Gyalla road, Dougada ward, Mubi, during a raid by NDLEA and a shocking seizure was made.

 

“The raid was carried in the early hours of Monday Feb. 27 during which he was arrested and drug exhibits recovered.

 

“The 31-year-old suspect had earlier been arrested on Wednesday Feb. 22 at his drug joint in Kolere water board, but he mobilised thugs to attack NDLEA officers and in the process escaped with the exhibits”, he said.

 

Babafemi also listed other  arrests made to include Geoffrey Okpani, 31, arrested at Bukuru area of Jos, Plateau with 27.45kg of cannabis.

 

“Ajayi Tope, 30,  arrested on Saturday, 4th March at Area 5 Ile-Ife, Ife Southa Local Government Area of Osun with 18kg of same substance.

 

“In Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday, March 3 raided De-Niche Hotel & Suites, Omole Estate, Ojodu- Ikeja, where 24 suspects were arrested and different quantities of illicit drugs recovered from them,” “he said.

 

The NDLEA spokesman said that agency’s  Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, (DOGI) operatives attached to courier firms in Lagos equally intercepted some illicit drugs during the period under review.

 

He said that the hard drugs were nine parcels of methamphetamine concealed in native black soap, Dudu Osun, heading to Europe.

 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested a businessman, Kingsley Celestino, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, over 9.40 kilograms of heroin allegedly concealed in false bottoms of his two travelling bags.

 

This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.

 

Babafemi said that Kingsley, a business class passenger on Qatar Airline flight, was arrested at Terminal 2 of the MMIA on Saturday on his way to India.

 

He said that the suspect was a native of Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, adding that the 49-year old was travelling with a Guinean international passport.

 

He also said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect frequently travelled to India on business class tickets.

 

According to Babafemi, the suspect claims he deals in clothing business between Nigeria and India.

 

“It was further established that he obtained the Guinean international passport in Guinea Bissau, where he said his mother came from, ” he said.

 

In the same vein, a 24-year-old passenger travelling to Oman, Etounu Monday, was intercepted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja, on Feb. 27.

 

Babafemi said that the suspect was arrested during the outward clearance of Ethiopian Airline flight ET 950 while attempting to export 1.924kg of skunk concealed in cream tubes.

 

Also, at the Tincan seaport, Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday March 3, recovered 244 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 79 kilograms.

 

Babafemi said that the illicit drugs were concealed in medium size wooden sound system speakers packed inside two out of four used vehicles in a container marked CRSU9258348 coming from Toronto via Montreal, Canada.

 

“The imported vehicles used as cover for the drugs are a 2009 Jeep Wrangler and a 2009 Honda Ridgeline, ” he said. (NAN)