The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has intercepted and seized illicit shipments and consignments of Cocaine and Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis concealed in incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves and ladies’ native wears at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
This has led to the arrest of a businessman, Abdulwahab Owolabi Alebiosu on Thursday, July 18, 2024, at his Horizon Court, Lekki, Lagos residence.
Alebiosu’s artest followed the interception of a consignment comprising 40 parcels of Loud weighing 20.30 kilograms hidden in packs of chessboards, scrabbles, checkers, and poker set, brought in from Canada on a British Airways flight at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport during a joint examination of the cargo by the NDLEA operatives and men of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi said “a search of his home also led to the recovery of more exhibits including some drug paraphernalia, such as, weighing scale, and cannabis potency test kit, while four vaping machines were recovered from his business premises on Admiralty Way, Lekki.
“A Mikano black truck with registration number FST 657 HP was also recovered from his house,” Babafemi said in the statement.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO Export shed of the MMIA on Friday July 19, intercepted two jumbo bags going to Pakistan.
The bags contained dried hibiscus leaves, dried bitter leaves and other food items, which were used to conceal four parcels of cocaine and 14 parcels of Loud, both weighing 1.360kg.
The NDLEA explained that further investigations led to the arrest of a businesswoman, Eze Queen Ogechi who claimed she was sending the illicit consignment to Pakistan on the instruction of her brother, Eze Nnamdi Promise based in the South Asia country.
Also at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives attached to Terminal II, Departure Gate of the MMIA, on Thursday July 18, arrested a male Beninese passenger, Orobi Adoubi Amen while travelling with a bag containing some female native dresses.
The suspect was going to Dubai via Accra, Ghana on an Air Peace Airline flight and a connecting flight to Dubai, UAE on Emirates Airline.
A thorough search of the bag revealed that eight parcels of Loud weighing 2.10kg were concealed in the ladies’ native wears.
The suspect claimed he was given the consignment for a fee of N600,000 on successful delivery in Dubai.
