The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 55-year-old Lagos businessman, Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, over an alleged attempt to smuggle 3.30kg of cocaine to the United Kingdom.
The suspect, a clothing trader at Balogun Market on Lagos Island, was arrested on Thursday, July 23, following the interception of a consignment containing the illicit drug at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The cocaine was allegedly hidden within the walls of cartons containing food items intended for shipment to the UK.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the consignment was intercepted on July 22, after which three cargo agents who handled the shipment were arrested.
According to Babafemi, the investigation led operatives to Kenneth Okakpu, who allegedly delivered the consignment to the cargo agents. His arrest reportedly provided information that led to the identification of Chinedu as the alleged mastermind behind the operation.
The NDLEA said Chinedu was arrested while allegedly attempting to send another consignment of cocaine to the UK.
In a separate operation, the agency also arrested a 31-year-old entrepreneur, Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo, at her residence in Surulere, Lagos, after intercepting 2.80kg of Loud, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis.
The agency said the drug was shipped from the United States and arrived in Lagos aboard a United Airlines flight on July 20.
At the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives also recovered 2.24 million tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, with an estimated street value of over ₦2.2bn, from a consignment originating from India and transported aboard an Air Maroc flight.
The agency said the seizure followed intelligence received and processed by its operatives.
The NDLEA also reported the interception of a tramadol consignment allegedly concealed in containers of black soap and destined for the UK. The shipment was reportedly intercepted at a courier company in Lagos.
At the Apapa Port, Lagos, operatives discovered 4,777 sachets of Canadian Loud weighing about 2,388.5kg and estimated to be worth more than ₦7.1bn.
The cannabis was allegedly concealed inside three vehicles packed in a shipping container.
Meanwhile, in Katsina State, the agency said it arrested two men and recovered military-grade ammunition in separate operations.
A 30-year-old suspect, Mustapha Sani, was reportedly arrested at Baure in Safana Local Government Area with 323 rounds of ammunition, including 200 rounds of 7.62mm and 123 rounds of 7.6mm ammunition.
Another suspect, 30-year-old Abubakar Amadu, was allegedly arrested along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway with 73 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition concealed inside kegs of red oil.
The NDLEA said both suspects had been handed over to the relevant security authorities for further investigation.
In Edo State, the agency said its operatives recovered 1,286kg of cannabis and 86kg of cannabis seeds during a raid on a warehouse in Ilushi community, Esan South-East Local Government Area.
Two other suspects were also arrested in separate operations. Ojore Onweze, 45, was reportedly found with 60kg of skunk, while George Agwumede, 30, was arrested with 13kg of the same substance.
The NDLEA said the arrests and seizures were part of its ongoing operations against illicit drug trafficking and related criminal activities across the country.
