By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted N10 billion worth of cocaine, Loud, opioids and other illicit drugs at the Lagos ports.

The agency gave the breakdown in a statement issued by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.

According to Babafemi, a 55-year-old businessman (names withheld) who deals in clothings at the popular Balogun market, in Lagos Island was arrested over an attempt to export 3.30 kilograms of cocaine.

He said that the drugs were concealed in walls of cartons used to package foodstuffs going to the United Kingdom.

Babafemi said the suspect was arrested on Thursday, following the interception of his cocaine consignment at the export shed of the Lagos airport the previous day, Wednesday, by NDLEA operatives.

He added that in the course of investigation, three cargo agents who handled the shipment were initially arrested leading to the arrest of another suspect who delivered the consignment to the cargo agents for shipment to the UK.

“His arrest provided the lead to identifying the kingpin behind the syndicate and his eventual arrest while attempting to send another consignment of cocaine to the UK.

“Another suspect, a 31-year-old entrepreneur (name withheld) also involved in illicit drug trafficking was on Tuesday, July 21 arrested at her Surulere Lagos residence by NDLEA operatives.

“Her arrests came following the seizure of her consignment of 2.80kg Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, which arrived from the United States aboard a United Airlines flight on Monday, July 20”, Babafemi said.

He said that in another interdiction operation at the Lagos airport, a total of 2.2 million pills of Tapentadol 250mg worth over N2.2 billion in street value were recovered by the NDLEA operatives.

Babafemi said that the drugs were intercepted from a shipment from India aboard an Air Maroc flight during a joint examination of the cargo on Friday.

He said that the exercise was based on intelligence received and processed by NDLEA.

“This came on the heels of the seizure of a consignment of tramadol buried in containers of black soap heading to the UK.

“The shipment was intercepted by NDLEA operatives at a courier firm in Lagos on Wednesday, July 22,” he said.

Meanwhile, at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, a container of three vehicles used to conceal a total number of 4,777 sachets of Canadian Loud was recovered.

Babafemi said that the drugs weighing 2,388.5kg worth over N7.1 billion in street value, was uncovered during a joint examination of the shipment on Monday, July 20. (NAN)

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