The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of cocaine and opioids concealed in carton walls and destined for the United Kingdom and Australia, while also destroying 65,000 kilograms of skunk during raids on forests in Delta State.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed on Sunday that the seizures were made during operations conducted across several states by operatives of the agency.
According to him, the cocaine and opioid consignments were intercepted at a Lagos courier company on Friday, May 15, during the examination of outbound shipments.
He said operatives recovered 170 grams of cocaine wrapped in cellophane and concealed inside the walls of a carton containing clothes meant for Australia.
Babafemi added that another shipment heading to the United Kingdom contained 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 1,100 capsules of tramadol and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection hidden in a carton.
In Delta State, NDLEA operatives raided Ejeonu village in Ukwuani Local Government Area on May 10, where they destroyed 27,500 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 11 hectares of farmland and recovered an additional 22.9 kilograms of the substance.
A 52-year-old suspect, Ifeanyichukwu Peter, was later arrested during a follow-up operation in Obiaruku.
Similarly, a raid in Orogun village, Ughelli North LGA, on May 12 led to the destruction of 37,500 kilograms of skunk on 15 hectares of farmland and the recovery of 55.4 kilograms of the psychoactive substance.
Operatives also arrested a 30-year-old suspect, Godwin Vincent Osadera, during the operation.
The agency said the combined operations, supported by soldiers, resulted in the destruction of 65,000 kilograms of skunk.
In Kaduna State, NDLEA officers recovered 361 kilograms of skunk during a raid at Dan Magaji area of Zaria on May 13, leading to the arrest of a 42-year-old suspect, Husaini Suleiman.
The agency also intercepted 1,989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm ammunition concealed inside bags of garri along the Abuja-Kaduna highway on May 12.
Babafemi said a 35-year-old suspect, Abdullahi Hassan, was arrested while transporting the ammunition, adding that both the suspect and exhibits had been transferred to another security agency for further investigation.
In the Federal Capital Territory, operatives arrested a 29-year-old businessman, Ogadi Peter, alleged to be producing drug-laced cakes and cookies for parties and social events.
He was apprehended at his residence in Life Camp, Abuja, on May 11, where officers recovered 800 grams of skunk and 2.70 kilograms of drug-laced cookies.
Other operations across the country led to the arrest of suspects and seizure of narcotics in Ogun, Taraba, Oyo, Edo and Kano states.
These included the recovery of 181 kilograms of skunk in Ogun, 105,850 pills of opioids in Taraba, 99 litres of “skuchies” in Oyo, destruction of 1,388.4175 kilograms of skunk on farms in Edo, and the seizure of tramaking pills concealed in a jerrycan of palm oil in Kano.
The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools across Oyo, Niger, Lagos, Katsina, Ekiti and Kano states.
Commending officers involved in the operations, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised the commands for sustaining efforts aimed at reducing both drug supply and demand across the country.
