By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has foiled attempts by suspected drug traffickers to export parcels of Methamphetamine popularly called Mkpuru Mmiri locally concealed in Cornflakes packs and body cream containers to Malaysia and Australia at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, and a courier company in Lagos.
The drug control authority said two freight agents; Mr Nneji Anoma And Mr Etoh Barnabas were involved in the bid to export nine parcels of Methamphetamine weighing 1.45kg hidden in packs of cornflakes to Malaysia through the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, have been arrested.
Another consignment of 10 cartons of Tramadol 225mg packaged as Tramaking containing 500,000 tablets with a total weight of 407kg and an estimated street value of N200 million have been seized during a joint examination with the customs at the NCS warehouse.
The consignment, which had arrived SAHCO import shed since June 6, from India via Ethiopian Airline, was eventually transferred to the NDLEA by customs on Wednesday, June 15.
The previous day, Tuesday, June 14, a similar joint examination with customs at its enforcement terminal, Tincan seaport, Lagos led to the seizure of 33 parcels of cannabis indica (Colorado) weighing 16.5kgs. The drug exhibit was recovered from a 40-foot container, TRHU 7874497 containing four vehicles. The cannabis coming from Montreal, Canada was discovered in three out of the four vehicles in the container.
In the same vein, operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI at the agency attached to a courier company have intercepted a kilogram of Methamphetamine concealed in body cream containers heading to Australia.
Meanwhile, the drug cartels also suffered losses in other operations across Adamawa, Borno, Kogi, Ogun, Zamfara and Taraba States. A suspected drug dealer, Mr Abdullahi Musa, a.k.a Yerima Uding wanted for some past attacks on officers and men of the agency, was in the early hours of Thursday, June 16 arrested in Hong town, Adamawa state.
The 53-year-old suspect was caught with 57 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa, concealed in the boot of his ash-coloured Toyota Corolla car with reg. no. GMB 185 MF. He has been fingered as the mastermind of the mob attack in Hong on October 6, 2020, that led to the death of an NDLEA operative and another officer now bedridden due to permanent incapacitation.
In Borno State, another drug dealer, Umar Musa, was arrested in Tashan Kano, Gwoza LGA on Thursday, June 17 with 8,000 capsules and tablets of Tramadol weighing 4.550kgs, while 32.182kgs cannabis seized by NDLEA operatives along Okene/Abuja highway, Kogi state from a commercial bus travelling from Lagos to Abuja.
NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, explained that following credible intelligence, operatives also arrested one Nwanbunike Chibuike, 22, with 19,576 tablets of Exol-5, Diazepam, Tramadol and Rohypnol as well as 7.9 litres of Codeine at Ogere, Ikenne LGA, Ogun state on Wednesday, June 15.
In Zamfara, a consignment of 11,660 tablets of Hyponox and 6,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection was recovered from a drug dealer, Success Amaefuna at Tsafe area of the state on his way to Sokoto state, while 5,000 tablets of Tramadol were seized from Mr Darius John F. Mbugun, 33, who ordered the consignment from Onitsha, Anambra state. The drug exhibit was concealed in a bag of gari for distribution in Gembu, Sardauna LGA, Taraba State.
Modupe Gbadeyanka