By Chimezie Godfrey
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted cocaine concealed in food flasks and cannabis hidden in snack packs, as operatives intensified anti-drug operations across the country.
In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency said 12 parcels of cocaine weighing 2.80 kilograms were recovered from food flasks at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on April 9.
Two cargo agents were arrested in connection with the seizure, while a freight forwarder identified as the sender of the consignment was later apprehended.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives at the airport’s import shed intercepted 2.90kg of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, concealed in snack packs from the United States.
Following the arrest of two clearing agents, the consignee, a fashion designer, Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, was also arrested.
In Kaduna State, operatives intercepted a truck along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, recovering 847kg of skunk concealed in cement consignments, with the driver arrested.
In Cross River State, a joint operation involving NDLEA officers and soldiers led to the destruction of 15,000kg of cannabis cultivated on six hectares of farmland, with additional quantities recovered and a suspect arrested.
Another raid in Edo State resulted in the destruction of over 2,200kg of cannabis and the arrest of three suspects.
In Delta State, two suspects were arrested with over 87kg of cannabis, while in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted tramadol capsules and phenobarbital injections en route to Ghana.
A separate raid in Lagos Island also led to the recovery of 95.8kg of cannabis.
The agency said its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign continued nationwide, targeting schools and communities.
NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers for the operations and urged them to sustain the tempo.
NDLEA intercepts cocaine in food flasks, arrests fashion designer, others
