The NDLEA has intercepted 2.7kg of cannabis concealed in dried onions. The cannabis was to be exported to Dubai through a postal firm. The spokesperson for the anti-narcotic agency, Femi Babafemi, revealed that officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos, also disrupted the activities of a drug syndicate that operated between Nigeria, East Africa and Europe.
Babafemi stated that-
“an attempt to export 2.7kg cannabis packaged as part of dried onions to Dubai through a postal service firm was frustrated by the NDLEA officers attached to the courier company, who seized a carton filled with colourful sachets of dried onions, used to conceal the illicit consignment.”
He said-
“Operatives at the Lagos airport had on Monday, March 13, intercepted a member of the drug syndicate, Ejezie Ifeanyi, during the screening of inward passengers on an Ethiopian Airline flight from Malawi via Addis Ababa at the arrival hall.
“When a search was conducted on him, it was discovered that one of his two bags had a false bottom concealment.
“During the preliminary interview of the suspect, he confessed that a member of the syndicate was waiting at the airport car park to pick him up. An immediate follow-up operation led to the arrest of Chukwu Bright, who was waiting in a grey colour Mercedes Benz C180 coupe, marked EKY 973 GQ to receive the drug consignment.”
Babafemi noted that after the arrest, a proper search of the bag was conducted before the two suspects leading to the recovery of three kilograms of heroin.
He added that findings revealed a drug syndicate network between Nigeria, and Malawi, Mozambique in East Africa and Europe.
“While Chukwu who lives in Lagos is responsible for the recruitment and coordination of the activities of mules on behalf of other members of the cartel based in Mozambique and Malawi, another set operates from the southeastern part of Nigeria.
“Meanwhile, the NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA on Wednesday, March 15, intercepted a jerry can of palm oil going to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. At the point of examination, it was discovered that 600 grams of cannabis sativa were concealed inside the jerrycan of palm oil. A suspect, Tunde Ogunbowale, who presented the consignment for export to Dubai was immediately arrested.”
cc: Punch Ng
