[PHOTOS] NDLEA cracks down on cocaine cartels, recovers multi-billion-Naira drugs in nationwide raids

Multi-billion-naira worth of cocaine, concealed in heavy-duty automobile pivot shafts and Ghanaian Kente fabric, among other items, have been recovered in a nationwide intelligence-led operation by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

In a statement on Sunday, the Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, reported that 2.32 kilograms of cocaine hidden in Ghanaian traditional Kente materials destined for the United Kingdom were intercepted at a courier firm in Lagos on Monday, August 5, 2024. Additionally, 10.494 kilograms of the same class A drug, concealed in heavy-duty pivot shafts bound for the United States, were recovered at the same logistics company after NDLEA sniffer dogs detected the automobile spare parts containing the illicit substance.

This brings the total weight of cocaine seized in these two shipments to 12.814 kilograms.

In the same vein, five other consignments going to the US, UK and Canada were also intercepted at the courier firm in Lagos on Friday 9th August 2024.

They include 517 grams of cocaine in clothing materials; different quantities of pentazocine injection, promethazine injection and cocodamol pills, all heading to the UK as well as 297 pills of tramadol 225mg going to Canada.

In a different logistics company in Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 21 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 10 kilograms, arriving from the United States and intended for delivery in Abuja.

In another intelligence-led operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a member of a cocaine trafficking network on Wednesday, August 7th, at Alafia Orile, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos. The suspect was attempting to transport 9.00 kilograms of cocaine to Onitsha, Anambra State.

Two members of another cocaine syndicate based in Nnewi and Oba town, Anambra State, were also arrested on Thursday, August 8th, in a follow-up operation following the seizure of their consignments on a transport company bus in Benin, Edo State, on the same day.

The bus driver was arrested at the Benin tollgate with a total of 2.865 kilograms of cocaine. Another member of the gang was apprehended in Nnewi town while attempting to collect his consignment of 1.748 kilograms of cocaine and 514 grams of sodium bicarbonate.

Additionally, an arrest was made in Oba town while the suspect was trying to pick up his consignment of 1.117 kilograms of cocaine.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at Tincan Seaport in Lagos intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 265.25 kilograms, on Wednesday, August 7th. The drugs were concealed in a black Toyota Sienna bus, one of three vehicles in a container marked MSMU 6029570, arriving from Montreal, Canada.

The seizure was made during a 100 percent joint examination with officers of the Customs Service and other stakeholders.

On Thursday, August 8th, operatives seized another 75 parcels of the same substance, weighing 37.5 kilograms, in a container marked FSCU-9274613, which arrived from Canada.

In Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives, with support from men of Operation Farauta Sector 3, Mayo Belwa, arrested a suspect on Thursday, August 8th, with 425 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 291.2 kilograms in his Toyota Camry, marked Lagos KSF 381 HM. The suspect claimed he was transporting the consignment from Edo State to Yola, Adamawa State.

Additionally, two suspects were arrested in the Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Tuesday, August 6th, with 29.5 kilograms of cannabis. NDLEA operatives in Lagos recovered 1,169 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance from a bus along Orchid Road, Ajah, on Sunday, August 4th.

Furthermore, NDLEA officers, supported by men of the Nigerian Army, destroyed 1,230 kilograms of cannabis on three hectares of farmland in Ikeje Forest, Edimogo Village, Igalamela/Odolu LGA, Kogi State, on Friday, August 9th. The owner of the farm has been arrested.

Meanwhile, NDLEA commands and formations across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities over the past week. These activities included a WADA enlightenment lecture for women at Fowewe Sofuwa Islamic Centre, Saki, Oyo State; a WADA sensitization lecture and inauguration of a community drug control committee at Nnando community, Anambra State; a WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Ilorin, HRH Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, Kwara State; and a WADA sensitization lecture for members of the Ansaru-ud-deen Muslim Society of Nigeria in Ado Ekiti, among others.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, Tincan, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Kogi, and Adamawa Commands, as well as those of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI), for their arrests and seizures. He urged them and their compatriots across the country to continue their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.