The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has frustrated attempt by a 24-year-old Thai lady, Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 46.60 kilograms into Nigeria.
The NDLEA which disclosed this in a statement on Sunday said the suspect was arrested while attempting to smuggle the illicit drug into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
Spokesman of NDLEA , Femi Babafemi who signed the statement said the suspect was arrested on Thursday, 20th February 2025 during the inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Thailand via Doha, Qatar at the arrival hall, terminal 2 of the Lagos airport.
NDLEA said the suspect was immediately arrested
after the discovery of the illicit consignment in her boxes.
Babafemi said in the statement that the suspect has confessed to being a hired drug trafficker.
“She said the drug cartel, which recruited her promised to pay her $3,000 upon successful delivery of the illicit drug consignment in Nigeria,” the statement said.
The agency also said it thwarted another bid by a drug trafficking syndicate to ship 68 parcels of Ghanaian Loud with a total weight of 42.2kg concealed in walls of crated cartons to London, UK, through the export shed of the Lagos airport was also frustrated by NDLEA officers on Friday 21st February.
“Three suspects; a freight agent and two dispatch riders were initially arrested in connection with the seizure before the mastermind of the shipment, Samuel Bitris, was swiftly traced to his Exodus Estate, Ajah, Lagos home where he was arrested.
“At the Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, Rivers State, NDLEA officers on Thursday 20th February intercepted 49 cartons containing 49,000 pills of tamol, a brand of tramadol 225mg in a 40-ft container during a joint examination of the shipment with men of Customs Service and other security agencies.
“In Nasarawa State, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 22nd February arrested two suspects; Bello Adamu, 40, and Pius Azuka, 42 at Kokona/Keffi with 517kg of skunk, while two other suspects: Usman Ruwa, 43, and Yunusa Haruna, 45, were nabbed in a Toyota Corolla car conveying 62.7 kilograms of skunk along Sabon Asibiti road Kontagora, Niger State on Thursday 20th February,” the statement explained.
Babafemi said the various commands and formations across the country also scale up their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities during the week under review.
He said the WADA sensitization activities were taken to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
“These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Maku Grammar School, Tapa, Oyo State; Comprehensive Secondary School, Orogwe, Imo State; Jama’atu Islamiyya Secondary School, Ankpa, Kogi State; and Owerri-Aba Primary School, Ugwunagba, Imo State, among others,” he said.
In his reaction to the arrests and seizures, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the officers and men of MMIA, PHPC, Niger, and Nasarwa Commands for their efforts.
Marwa stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
