The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have intercepted two shipments of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis commonly known as colos, concealed in consolidated cargoes from the United Kingdom (UK).
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said in a statement on Sunday that operatives also recovered consignments of the illicit substance hidden in music speakers at two motor parks in Lagos, while several suspects linked to the shipments were arrested.
Babafemi added that operatives intercepted 27 parcels of Colorado weighing 32.20kg at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
He said Abideen Jide Salami, a real estate agent, was arrested on Wednesday after he arrived to collect a large luggage containing the drug using a secret collection code allegedly sent by his brother in the UK.
Babafemi said a follow-up operation involving another UK-bound consignment led to the arrest of Nurudeen Abiodun Kadiri, 44, who was designated to receive 12.25kg of Colorado.
According to him, Kadiri said his brother in the UK sent the consignment.
“NDLEA operatives from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) also intercepted a music speaker containing three packs of Colorado at Maza Maza motor park in Lagos,” the statement reads.
“The consignment was reportedly being transported to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and ultimately Liberia.”
Babafemi said a tour agent, Ifeanyi Obed Augustine, 41, and the owner of the consignment, Obasi Ugochuckwu, 46, were arrested during a sting operation at a nearby eatery.
At Iddo motor park, he said another suspect, Ifeanyi Nwokolo Henry, was arrested on Friday while allegedly attempting to dispatch 2.1kg of Colorado to Kano.
OTHER DRUG SEIZURES
The NDLEA spokesperson said separate operations in Ughelli and Asaba, Delta state, led to the seizure of ampoules of pentazocine injection, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam, also known as hypnox, and MDMA, commonly called Molly.
“Several of the drugs were concealed in music speakers, while two suspects, Emeka Oji and Chukwuebuka Anedi, were arrested,” he added.
“In Kano, NDLEA operatives raided a location in Sabon Gari and arrested 20-year-old Saidu Adamu with 785,000 capsules of pregabalin weighing 669.425kg.”
He said operatives also intercepted 1,700 tablets of diazepam concealed in loaves of bread during a stop-and-search operation along the Zaria-Kano-Hadejia road. Habibu Sabitu, 28, was arrested in connection with the consignment.
In Plateau, 51-year-old Chinedu Uzor was arrested at Katako market in Jos with 157,100 capsules of tramadol.
Babafemi said the agency also continued its crackdown on cannabis cultivation, destroying 4,832.56kg of skunk from cannabis farms in Usen Forest, Igwe-Oke Forest and Ogboha Forest in Ovia south-west, Owan east and Owan west LGAs of Edo.
A 39-year-old suspect, Sunday Segun, was arrested during the operation.
In Ondo, NDLEA officers acting on intelligence raided a residence along Oke-Iya, Ijoka Road, Akure, where they recovered 186kg of skunk concealed in the boot of a Toyota Avalon marked ABJ 917 FV.
A 58-year-old suspect, Paul Ogbuwala, was arrested. He was allegedly planning to transport the consignment to Jos for onward distribution.
In Kaduna, a female suspect, Hannah Michael, was arrested at Gonin Gora with 369.6kg of cannabis.
In Bayelsa, four suspects, including 70-year-old Godwoman Gboriye, were arrested at Ovom, Yenagoa, with 110 bags of cannabis weighing 876kg.
The other suspects are Motombo Silver, 44; Pere Andrew, 39; and Keme Andrew, 43.
