The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has cautioned Nigerians against collecting consolidated consignments from overseas when they are unaware of the contents, warning that some packages may contain illicit drugs.
The agency said some Nigerians living abroad had allegedly been sending drug-laced consignments to relatives and friends in Nigeria, using them as recipients or consignees.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, issued the warning in a post on X on Sunday.
Babafemi said unsuspecting Nigerians who accept such packages could face arrest and prosecution if prohibited substances are discovered in the consignments.
He wrote, “RED ALERT! The new thing now is that some of our ‘abroad’ people are sending home consolidated cargoes contaminated with illicit drugs, especially Colorado and Loud, putting their family members and friends as consignees or recipients.”
He advised Nigerians to reject requests to receive packages on behalf of relatives or friends abroad unless they are certain of the contents.
According to him, “If you’re not part of the syndicate, don’t accept to receive consignments on behalf of your ‘abroad’ brother or sister or friend, particularly if you don’t know the full content of the consignment.”
The NDLEA spokesman warned that several people had already found themselves in legal trouble after unknowingly receiving drug-containing consignments.
He added, “Many are already behind bars for this and the number keeps increasing with daily operations by @ndlea_nigeria officers. Please heed this warning and save yourself of the jail experience.”
The warning was accompanied by footage of NDLEA operatives opening black plastic-wrapped packages believed to have been intercepted during enforcement operations.
The agency’s latest alert comes amid its continued efforts to disrupt international drug trafficking networks and prevent the movement of illicit substances into Nigeria.
