NDLEA Seizes N5bn Drugs at Ports, Arrests Milan-Bound Businessman

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, and codeine-based cough syrup worth more than N5 billion at the Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne ports.

The anti-narcotics agency also arrested a 28-year-old businessman, Philip Tunde, who was allegedly attempting to smuggle 4.80 kilogrammes of cocaine to Milan, Italy, through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

According to the NDLEA, the seizures followed months of intelligence gathering and surveillance of the shipments from their ports of origin.

In a statement on Sunday, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124 kilogrammes and valued at N372 million were recovered at the Apapa Port.

The drugs were concealed in two refrigerators and two cartons inside a container shipped from Bangkok, Thailand.

Babafemi said, “At the Apapa Port in Lagos, NDLEA officers, acting on intelligence, subjected two containers from Bangkok, Thailand, to 100 per cent examination with men of Customs and other stakeholders.

“A search of one of the containers on Saturday, September 3, yielded 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124 kilogrammes, worth N372 million, concealed in two refrigerators and two cartons.”

At the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, operatives recovered 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5 kilogrammes, with a street value of more than N3.8 billion.

The consignment was concealed inside a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Elantra, alongside 24 blue drums and six jumbo bags.

According to Babafemi, the container had been placed on the agency’s watch list based on intelligence.

“At the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, September 29, conducted a joint examination of a watch-listed container from Montreal, Canada, with Customs and other stakeholders,” he said.

“As a result, a total of 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5 kilogrammes were concealed in a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Elantra, with 24 blue drums and six jumbo bags in the container. The consignment was worth over N3.8 billion in street value.”

At the Onne Port in Rivers State, NDLEA operatives also intercepted two containers following processed intelligence.

The agency recovered 40 packs of Loud weighing 22 kilogrammes from one of the containers, while the second contained 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440 kilogrammes.

The drugs were concealed in a travelling bag and three of five vehicles shipped in one of the containers, comprising a Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra.

The codeine and Loud consignments seized at the port were valued at N833.2 million.

Babafemi said one of the containers had departed India for Saudi Arabia, where its history of origin was allegedly deleted to prevent it from being targeted.

“At the Onne Port in Rivers State, two containers watch-listed by the NDLEA based on processed intelligence were subjected to joint examination with Customs and other security agencies. During the operation, 40 packs of Loud weighing 22 kilogrammes were found hidden in a travelling bag and three of five vehicles – Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra – shipped in one of the containers, while the second container held 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440 kilogrammes,” he said.

“The container had left India for Saudi Arabia, where the history of its origin was deleted to avoid being targeted. The codeine and Loud consignments have a combined street value of N833.2 million.”

In a related operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, the NDLEA arrested 28-year-old Philip Tunde, who was allegedly heading to Milan, Italy, with 4.80 kilogrammes of cocaine.

Tunde was arrested on Sunday, September 27, at the joint screening point of Terminal 2 while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan.

The agency said its operatives recovered 16 parcels of cocaine concealed in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes, as well as 195 wraps hidden inside the railings of four travelling bags.

The substances tested positive for cocaine and weighed 4.80 kilogrammes.

According to the NDLEA, Tunde admitted during interrogation that he paid N16 million in cash for the cocaine concealed in the shoes. The agency said the consignment hidden in the bags was intended for delivery to his partner in Italy.

He reportedly said he raised the money from compensation he received following an injury sustained while working at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy, where he lost the tips of two fingers.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA said its operatives destroyed 20,234 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on 8.0936 hectares of cannabis farm in Area 4, Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State.

The agency also reported other arrests and seizures across the country.

In Lagos, operatives on Monday, September 28, raided an unoccupied compound at Divine Estate, Ago Palace, where they recovered 209,000 tablets of tramadol.

In a follow-up operation at Ladipo Spare Parts Market on Wednesday, September 30, operatives arrested 23-year-old Ekundayo Taiwo.

The arrest followed the seizure of 61 grammes of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, and 24 grammes of methamphetamine allegedly concealed inside an energy drink bottle packaged as a waybill consignment from a commercial bus driver along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Commending the operatives for the series of seizures and arrests, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), called for sustained efforts against drug trafficking networks.

Marwa urged officers and other stakeholders to maintain the momentum in disrupting the activities of drug traffickers across the country.