The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted a consignment of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, concealed in duvet and packaged for export to the United Kingdom through the cargo shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.
Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement.
According to him, two suspects ; Adakole Sunday and Austin Balogun have been arrested in connection to the bid to export the consignment to the UK.
He said the drug consignments were discovered by NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 21st January 2025.
The statement said : “Six parcels of the psychoactive substance with a gross weight of 3.50 kilograms were concealed inside the duvet.
‘In his statement, Austin Balogun who is the main agent who hired Adakole, claimed he was paid N700,000 to cargo the consignment to UK but spent a fraction of the money on export handling charges and the bulk to pay for an apartment.”
In another development, the NDLEA said two suspects : Joseph Oluwasegun Adewale and Biodun Adelakun were arrested at Igbo Olumo, Ikorodu, Lagos State, when its operatives raided their hideout.
It said seven litres of skuchies, a new psychoactive substance produced with black currant, cannabis and opioids, were recovered during the raid.
“Other exhibits seized from the duo include: three locally made double barrel riffles; one locally made double barrel pistol; one English made pistol; one locally made single barrel riffle; three cartridges and one empty 9mm cartridge as well as an iron – head axe,” the statement said.
“Another raid in Lagos on Sunday, 19th January led to the seizure of 47kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, and 25.46kg Nitrous Oxide popularly known as laughing gas at the notorious Akala area of Mushin.
“In Ekiti, a 26-year-old suspect Adepoju Taiwo was arrested by NDLEA officers on Thursday 23rd January with 1.950kg Canadian Loud at Iworoko road, Ilokun, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, while Auwal Sani was nabbed by operatives on Monday 20th January at Bode Saadu in Moro local government area of Kwara State.
“A total of 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 36.56kg were recovered from him.
“A Nigerien, Abubakar Lami, 45, with two others: Abba Sani, 35, and Auwal Aliyu, 32, were arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano, while 13.1kg skunk and 125 litres of ‘suck and die’, a new psychoactive substance were recovered from them.
“In Gefen Kasa, Dawakin Kudu council area of Kano state, a cannabis plantation was located and destroyed by a team of NDLEA officers who arrested a suspect, Sabo Ali Muhammad, 45, linked to the farm,” NDLEA stated.
Babafemi said the various Commands of the NDLEA also upscale their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities during the week under review.
He said the WADA activities, including lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities were carried out all through the past week.
“Instances include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Army Children Secondary School, Oyo, Oyo State; Government Day Secondary School, Gwadangwaji, Kebbi State; Government Day Secondary School, Suleja, Niger State; St. Dominic Comprehensive College, Oron, Akwa Ibom State; District Junior College, Agege, Lagos; and residents of Pompomari community, Damaturu, Yobe stat, among others.
In his reaction, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa commended officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, and Ekiti Commands for the arrests and seizures of the past week.
Marwa also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA social advocacy lectures and sensitization activities in every part of their areas of responsibility.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
