By IBIRONKE ARIYO

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in microwaves imported from Thailand.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that also intercepted are wraps of cocaine built into ladies’ lipsticks.

The NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

He said that the drugs were going to Guinea and were intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, in Lagos State.

Babafemi said that the loud consignment was part of a consolidated cargo that came in two tranches on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to him, based on credible intelligence, the cargo was subjected to thorough search during which 23 parcels of loud weighing 11.3kg concealed in new microwaves were recovered on Monday, July 7.

“A suspect, Ezenwegbu Chike, has been arrested in connection with the seizure, ” he said.

He said barely a week after 420 grams of cocaine factory fitted in 84 pieces of female lipsticks heading to the UK were seized at a courier company in Lagos, operatives at the export shed of the airport have intercepted another.

Babafemi said that the consignment of cocaine intercepted was built into ladies’ lipsticks as part of a cargo containing hair attachments, face powder, and other items heading to Malabo, Guinea.

“No less than 400 grams of cocaine and phenacetin, a cutting agent, were recovered from the lipsticks when dismantled.

“A businessman at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo area of Lagos, Ezeikwelume Prince Afam was arrested on Friday, July 11 in connection with the seizure,” he said.

He also said that a notorious drug kingpin, Omeogo, has been arrested in Lagos by operatives of a Special Operations Unit of NDLEA after 12 months of going into hiding.

Babafemi said that the suspect was nabbed on Wednesday, July 9 at his wife’s shop in Ijesha market.

He said the suspect came under NDLEA radar on August, 7, 2024 after a 9kg cocaine was recovered from a suspect, Obiora Joseph Agudosi at a motor park in Orile, Lagos.

“In the course of investigating the kingpin and his network, his wife Maureen was arrested with 500 grams of cocaine at her beverages store in Ijesha market on January, 21, 2025.

“She was thereafter arraigned in court, convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment,” Babafemi said.

He added that unknown to the suspect that NDLEA was still on his trail, the wanted kingpin came out of his hiding and was promptly arrested last Wednesday. (NAN)