The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of cocaine and various opioids concealed in the walls of cartons, used to package clothes and other items en route to the United Kingdom and Australia.

A statement by the NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja, said the two seizures were recorded at a courier company in Lagos on Friday.

He said the illegal drugs were discovered during the examination of shipments bound for the UK and Australia. 

Mr Babafemi said a total of 170grams of cocaine sealed in cellophane parcels and buried in the walls of a carton of clothes heading to Australia, were recovered.

He added that a wide range of opioids, including 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 1,100 capsules of tramadol and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection, were recovered from another carton, with the UK as its final destination.

He stated that in another development in Delta State, operatives of the agency on Sunday, May 10, raided the Ejeonu village in Ukwuani Local Government Area (LGA), where they destroyed 27,500 kilograms of skunk on 11 hectares of farmland.

He noted that the NDLEA operatives recovered 22.9kg of the same substance at the location.

Mr Babafemi said that a 52-year-old suspect was arrested during a follow-up operation in Obiaruku.

“In a related development, a 25-litre jerry can of palm oil used to conceal 1.2kg pills of tramaking 225mg, was recovered from Kofar Ruwa motor park in Kano on Monday, May 11, following credible intelligence.

“A suspect was arrested at Sabuwar Sharada area of the state, the same day, with 30.5kg skunk,” he said.

According to him, a similar raid in Orogun village, Ughelli North LGA, on Tuesday, May 12, led to the destruction of 37,500 kilograms and recovery of 55.4kg of the same psychoactive substance on 15 hectares of farm, as well as the arrest of a suspect.

“This brings the total weight of skunk destroyed by NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers in the two operations, to 65,000 kilograms.

“Similarly, 361kg of skunk was recovered and a suspect arrested during a raid operation at the Dan Magaji area of Zaria town, Kaduna,  on Wednesday, May 13,” he said.

Mr Babafemi added that a large cache of military-grade ammunition was intercepted by the agency operatives on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna highway in Kaduna on Tuesday, May 12.

He further said a suspect was caught transporting 1,989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm concealed in fresh white cassava granules, locally known as garri.

Mr Babafemi stated that both the suspect and the exhibit had since been transferred to another security agency for further investigation.

He added that in the FCT, the NDLEA operatives on Monday, May 11, arrested a 29-year-old businessman, who specialised in producing drug-laced cakes and cookies for parties and social gatherings.

“Following credible intelligence, he was traced to his home at the Life Camp area of the FCT, where he was nabbed with  800grams of skunk and 2.70kg drug-laced cookies, recovered from him.

“In the same vein, 181kg of skunk was recovered from a suspect when NDLEA operatives raided the Ogere area of Ogun on Wednesday, May 13.

“Also, in Oyo, two suspects were arrested on Thursday, May 14, at Challenge II, Saki town, in connection with the seizure of 99 litres of skuchies,” he said.

Mr Babafemi added that another suspect was arrested with 105,850 pills of opioids, including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5, along Zaki- Biam road, Wukari LGA, Taraba,  on the same Thursday.

According to him, a total of 1,388 and 4,175 kilograms of skunk were also destroyed on two farms on Friday when NDLEA officers raided the Ago forest in Orhionmwon LGA in Edo.

He said the war against drug abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by the NDLEA Commands had  continued across the country in the past week.

“Some of them include: the  WADA sensitisation lecture delivered to students and staff of The Apostolic Church Model College, Ijokodo, Ibadan in Oyo and the School of Health Technology, Lambata, in Niger.

“Also listed are  Yewa Junior High School, Agege, Lagos, Government Secondary School, Yardaje, Katsina, Igogo Commercial High School, Igogo in Ekiti and Government Girls Secondary School, Magwan, Kano, among others,” he said.

The NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa commended the officers and men of Kogi, Delta, Kaduna, Oyo, Taraba, Kano, FCT and Edo commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week.

Mr Marwa also praised their counterparts in other  commands across the country,  for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply  and demand reduction efforts.

(NAN)