NDLEA busts N1.04bn drug ring in Lagos, seizes 2m tramadol pills in Kano, Jigawa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have uncovered N1,042,500,000 worth of illicit substances during a raid on a hotel in Lagos.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA spokesperson, said operatives found the 589 bags of Canadian loud and 417.3 kilograms of cannabis worth the amount while raiding the 80-room hotel in Victoria Island area of Lagos.
Babafemi said three suspects — Eze Ayitu, Ofuokwu Samuel, and Emmanuel Ameh– were arrested during the operation.
He added that two other suspects: Noble Philip and his partner Kenneth are currently at large.
Items suspected to be proceeds of illicit drug trade recovered from the premises housing include: Toyota Prado Landcruiser Jeep (Lagos AKD 472 OZ); Toyota Sienna Vehicle (Lagos KJA 79 HJ); Volkswagen Delivery Van (Lagos AAA 525 JE); Kia Ceranto Car (Lagos BDG 860 GQ); Grand Caravan Dodge (Lagos APP 847 YF); 74 new TV sets; 10 used TV sets; and 13 refrigerators, among others.
Babafemi said operatives of the agency also seized consignments of opioids being moved from Kano to Niger Republic and Yobe state through Jigawa.
“The psychoactive substances were being moved in a Toyota Sienna vehicle marked ABJ 182 NW at about 2:30am on Wednesday along Kano- Ringim road, Gumel town when anti-narcotic officers on patrol intercepted them with two suspects: Abba Ibrahim, 28, and Shuaibu Umar, 29 arrested,” the statement reads.
“Recovered from the Sienna vehicle were 200,000 pills of tramadol 250mg and 217,500 capsules of pregabalin. A swift follow up operation in Kano led to the arrest of the supplier, 41-year-old Jamilu Muhammad, at his residence located at Mil Tara, Layin Technical area of Kano while additional 1,584,000 pills of tramadol 250mg stacked inside a Nissan 18-seater bus marked DAL 372 XA and a room in his house were discovered and evacuated. This brings the total number of the recovered opioids to 2,001,500 pills.”
He added that operatives intercepted another shipment of 46 wraps of cocaine weighing 547 grams hidden in body cream going to a Middle East country.
“The seizure was made on Wednesday, 23rd April, at a courier firm in Lagos and another consignment intercepted same day included: 1.8kg pentazocine injection and 60 grams bromazepam tablets heading to Canada,” he said.
Babafemi noted that a 60-year-old grandma, Safiya Shamsu, was arrested with 5.6kg of skunk and a strain of cannabis in Kano state.
Three Ghanaian ladies were arrested while attempting to smuggle a combined 4.8 kilograms of Ghana Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, into the country.
Other places where arrests and seizures of contraband and illicit drugs were made are Edo and Seme.
