NDLEA intercepts 1.3m tramadol pills, 6,000kg cannabis worth N3.4bn nabs fake police officer

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted more than 1.3 million pills of tramadol and other opioids, as well as 6,000 kilograms of potent strains of cannabis, with a combined street value of more than N3.4 billion.

NDLEA’s director of media and advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that the breakthroughs were achieved in a string of major operations across Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and the FCT.

Mr Babafemi said that top of the list of successful operations was the interception of 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis. He said that the drug had a gross weight of 603.75 kilograms and was valued at N1.8 billion.

He also said that NDLEA operatives arrested an alleged trafficker who impersonated a senior police officer to evade scrutiny at checkpoints while ferrying drugs across state lines. Mr Babafemi added that the 49-year-old fake police officer was arrested on Wednesday, September 16, by NDLEA operatives along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba, Delta.

He also added that the suspect was found with 292.48 kilograms of skunk hidden in his silver Toyota Sienna bus. “Investigation established that the suspect had long paraded himself as Godwin Emeka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, using a forged ID card to escape scrutiny at checkpoints while transporting illicit consignments.

“An accomplice, a 39-year-old man, was arrested along with him,” he said. Meanwhile, in Edo, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence stormed a location on Agbor Road, Benin City, where they arrested a 45-year-old man who used his auto-repair workshop as a front for storing illicit drugs.

Mr Babafemi said that officers recovered 48 kilograms of Canadian Loud and 152 grams of methamphetamine, along with a metal box used to store the illicit substances. At the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos, a 40-foot container shipped from Montreal, Canada, which arrived on September 12, was placed under intensive monitoring by NDLEA operatives based on processed intelligence.

Mr Babafemi said that the shipment was eventually subjected to a full joint physical examination with Customs and other security agencies on Wednesday, September 16.

“The search uncovered 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 603.75 kilograms, concealed inside 31 black jumbo bags loaded within two Toyota Sienna vehicles in the container,” he said.

He further said that NDLEA operatives in Niger, while on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway at Chachi, Tafa Local Government Area, on Tuesday, September 15, arrested three young suspects.

Mr Babafemi said that the suspects were found with two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles and a magazine, a locally made pistol with a magazine, and nine rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in a black travel bag.

He added that the agency’s operatives similarly arrested two suspects on Friday, September 18, along the Abaji-Abuja Highway. “Over 1.1 million assorted tramadol tablets/capsules, codeine syrup, methamphetamine and Exol tablets concealed in eight sacks en route from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Mararaba, Nasarawa State, were recovered from them.

“In another development, in Lagos, a suspected drug dealer was arrested on Friday, Sept. 18, at his residence in Aguda, Surulere, with 48,900 pills of tramadol 225mg. Also, seven cartons of cannabis sativa weighing 59kg were intercepted at a logistics company, with a suspect taken into custody,” he said.

In another operation in Lagos, Mr Babafemi said that another suspected drug peddler was arrested at Apongbon with 998.38kg of nitrous oxide gas on Thursday, September 17. “Additionally, a total of 154,480 capsules of tramadol were recovered from two suspects who were arrested in the Barunde area and Gombe Main Market, respectively, in Gombe State on Friday, September 18.

“However, a suspect was also arrested along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, Imo State, with 43.85kg of skunk on Friday, September 18.

“Four suspects were nabbed during a raid and the destruction of 5,000 kilograms of skunk on a two-hectare cannabis farm in Ita-Ogbolu Forest, Ondo State, on Tuesday, September 15.

“No less than 48kg of dry and fresh cannabis was recovered from the location for the prosecution of the suspects,” he said. With the same vigour, Mr Babafemi said that commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities.

This, he said, was taken to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities, among others, in the past week. “The places include WADA enlightenment lectures for students and staff of St. Ferdinand School, Ogbomoso, Oyo; Unizik Secondary School, Awka, Anambra; Scholars Nursery and Primary School, Epe, Lagos; and Government Technical Training School, Jalingo, Taraba State.

“The Delta Ports Command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to His Royal Majesty, King Couple Mackson Oromoni Mobene III, Pere Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Delta State, among others,” he said.

Mr Babafemi quoted the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of the Lagos, Tin-Can, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and FCT commands for their professionalism and intelligence-driven approach to the various successful operations.

Mr Marwa enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the current balanced approach to the agency’s drug control efforts. NAN