LAGOS: N527m Cash Seized From Female Passengers As NDLEA Intercepts 649,300 Tramadol Capsules, Others

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have retrieved €809,850 cash (N527 million) from the luggage of two female passengers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The anti-narcotics agency said €740,000 was seized from one of the passengers, Ms. Precious Idahagbon, upon arrival from Vienna, Austria via Istanbul, Turkey, on February 16, while €69,850 was retrieved from one Ms. Ayeki Happy, who arrived at the airport from Italy on a Turkish Airline flight.

The NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, who made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday, said the monies were not declared by the female passengers.

Babafemi said the agency was investigating the suspects to ascertain if the monies are proceeds of drug business.

On the same day, the anti-narcotics agency arrested one Nwadu Ekene Christian in connection with the seizure of 649,300 capsules of Tramadol 225mg weighing 460.95kg.

According to Babafemi, the capsules were imported from Pakistan via Addis Ababa through Ethiopian Airline and warehoused at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company cargo warehouse located in the airport.

The statement further reads, “At the NAHCO export shed of the airport, operatives seized a consignment of 131 parcels of Cannabis concealed in packages of black soap (Dudu-Osun), during outward clearance of cargo going to the UK. This is as another consignment presented for export to Dubai, UAE at SAHCO shed was also recovered after 30 parcels of cannabis hidden in cartons of corn flakes were discovered in it.

“Not less than 6.5kg of Heroin, Khat and Oxycodone packaged for export to USA, and Canada were seized at a major courier company in Lagos by operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigations, DOGI. The drugs were concealed in shoes, and carton walls.

“In Kano, a 34-year-old Nasiru Abdulrahman was arrested with 476kg of Cannabis at Kwanar Dan Gora, Kiru local government area of the state on Friday 25th Feb, while in Adamawa, 4,000 tablets of Tramadol 225mg were seized from Abdulmuminu Abubakar, 24, who was arrested at Gidan Madara, Mubi North LGA on Tuesday 22nd Feb while travelling on a motorcycle to deliver the drugs in Bukula, Cameroon Republic. He claimed another suspect, Fahad Mohammed, 19, gave the consignment to him. Fahad was later arrested in a follow up operation at his home in Kasuwan Borkono Area of Mubi town.

“In Abuja, two consignments were intercepted from transport vehicles in Abaji area of the FCT. While the first contained 12kg cannabis, the second has 356kg of the same substance. A follow up operation in Kaduna led to the arrest of the owner of the 356kg cannabis, Ayomide Adewale, 29.”

Babafemi said the NDLEA chairman, retired Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended the operatives involved in the interceptions and “charged them and their colleagues across the country to intensify the offensive action against all drug cartels in every part of Nigeria.”