The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has uncovered eight parcels of cocaine concealed in 20 set of religious books going to Saudi Arabia.
It said the drug weighing 500 grams was buried inside the religious books when it was discovered by its operatives .
The agency in a statement issued on Sunday said the drug was uncovered at a courier company in Lagos on Tuesday, 15th April 2025.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi who signed the statement said the drug was discovered when NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) were searching through export cargos going to Saudi Arabia at the logistics firm.
Babafemi said operatives also intercepted five parcells of loud at another courier company same day.
According to him, the intercepted five parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 2.8 kilograms were hidden in a carton coming from the United States of America.
In Kano, he said a 22-year-old supplier of illicit substances to bandits, Muhammad Mohammed, was arrested by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bichi – Kano road while heading to Katsina.
The suspect was caught with 277 ampoules of pentazocine injection tied to his thigh and private part with cellotape when he was arrested, according to the statement.
“He was intercepted on Sunday 13th April, while another suspect, Mohammed Abdulrahman Abdulaziz, 43, was nabbed same day at Research Rimin Kebe area of Nasarawa, Kano with 68 blocks of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 30kg.
“Not less than 557.2kg of skunk, 5.6kg of methamphetamine and 29.8grams of heroin were recovered from a house along Major General Isaiah Alllison Street, Opolo, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State where four suspects were arrested when NDLEA operatives raided the premises on Wednesday 16th April.
“The four suspects arrested during the raid include: Sarimiye Suwa Kurtis, 46; Roland Prosper, 34; Sarimiye Tare Paul, 45; and Fidelis Ugbesla, 46.
“While a total of 1,100 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a delivery van with the driver, Ismail Abdullahi arrested in Surulere area of Lagos on Thursday 17th April, NDLEA operatives in Kaduna on Friday 18th April raided the hideout of a suspect, Ike Ani, 30, in Zaria, where no fewer than 31,950 pills of tramadol 225mg and diazepam were recovered.
“In Kebbi, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bagudo road on Friday 18th April intercepted a vehicle loaded with bags of charcoal coming from Malabil, Benin Republic.
“A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 97kg skunk concealed in the sacks of charcoal.
“Three suspects: Abubakar Ibrahim, 50; Mustapha Aliyu, 32; and Bashar Lawali, 28, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
“A 48-year-old Okafor Marcel was nabbed with 11.5kg skunk at Abatete, Anambra State while NDLEA operatives in Osogbo, Osun State on Tuesday 15th April arrested Ajala Mercy, 27, with 43 litres of skushi, a mixture of black currant, cannabis and opioids recovered from her room at Dada estate, Halleluyah area of the state capital.
“Two cannabis farms in Egbeta forest, Ovia North East LGA, Edo State were raided by NDLEA operatives who destroyed 3,717.8625kg of the psychoactive plant on 1.487145 hectares and recovered 136.5kg of processed cannabis.
“At the Tin Can seaport in Lagos, a suspect Basorun Usman Kayode, 40, who has been at large for two years was arrested by NDLEA officers in connection with the seizure of 107kg Loud imported from Canada in 2023, while another suspect, Dauda Yakubu who distributes illicit drugs within the seaport community was arrested by a team of operatives on Monday 14th April,” the statement said.
Babafemi also said that
the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country during the werk under review.
He said : “Some of them include: WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of St. Michael Anglican Primary School, Epe, Lagos; Community Grammar School, Ipoti Ekiti, Ekiti State; College of Education, Minna, Niger State; traders at Igbona market, Osogbo, Osun State; traders at Marian Market, Calabar, Cross River; drivers and others at Peace Mass Transit park, Upper Iweka, Onitsha, Anambra state, among others.”
In his reaction to the arrest and seizures, the Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa
commended officers and men of DOGI, Kano, Lagos, Kaduna, Kebbi, Osun, Zone 13, Edo and Tin Can Commands of the agency for their hard work and commitment to duty.
Marwa equally praised their counterparts in other commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
