Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted two consignments of synthetic cannabis, popularly known as Colorado, concealed in cargoes from the United Kingdom, while other illicit drugs were recovered from music speakers and loaves of bread in separate operations across the country.
The NDLEA said the UK-linked seizures involved 44.45kg of Colorado intercepted at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The first consignment contained 27 parcels weighing 32.20kg. A 39-year-old real estate agent, Abideen Jide Salami, was arrested on September 9 after allegedly arriving to collect the luggage using a secret collection code sent by his brother based in the UK. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of 44-year-old Nurudeen Abiodun Kadiri, who allegedly came to receive another consignment weighing 12.25kg.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives also intercepted a music speaker at the Maza-Maza motor park containing three packs of Colorado. The consignment was reportedly destined for Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and ultimately Liberia.
A tour agent, Ifeanyi Obed Augustine, 41, and the alleged owner of the consignment, Obasi Ugochukwu, 46, were arrested during a sting operation. Another suspect, Ifeanyi Nwokolo Henry, was arrested at Iddo Park while allegedly attempting to dispatch 2.1kg of Colorado to Kano.
In Kano State, operatives conducting a stop-and-search operation along the Zaria-Kano-Hadejia Road intercepted 1,700 tablets of diazepam allegedly concealed inside loaves of bread. A 28-year-old suspect, Habibu Sabitu, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
The agency also reported a major seizure in Sabon Gari, Kano, where 20-year-old Saidu Adamu was arrested with 785,000 capsules of pregabalin weighing 669.425kg.
In Delta State, separate operations resulted in the recovery of pentazocine injections, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam and MDMA, with some of the substances concealed inside music speakers. Two suspects, Emeka Oji and Chukwuebuka Anedi, were arrested.
The NDLEA also reported significant seizures in Plateau, Kaduna, Bayelsa, Ondo and Edo states, bringing the total quantity of assorted illicit drugs recovered during the nationwide operations to more than 2.3 tonnes.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers involved and urged them to sustain efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks using airports, land borders, seaports and other routes.
He also called for continued vigilance against traffickers who devise increasingly sophisticated methods of concealing and transporting illicit substances.
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