The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of cocaine concealed inside a local mortar and a backpack that were being prepared for shipment to China and Italy.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the seizures were made on July 30 by operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) at a logistics company in Lagos.
According to him, officers recovered 250 grams of cocaine secretly built into the base of a local mortar packaged for export to China. They also discovered another 500 grams of the illicit drug hidden in the false compartment of a backpack destined for Italy.
Babafemi disclosed that in Rivers State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 38-year-old suspected drug dealer, Ugo Okonkwo, at Eagle Island in Port Harcourt on July 26 following intelligence reports.
He said the suspect was found in possession of cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, swinol, tramadol and codeine syrup.
The agency also announced the arrest of a truck driver, Chinedu Nwanze, after operatives intercepted a truck with registration number X 131 BDG at the DMGS Roundabout in Onitsha, Anambra State, on July 27.
According to the NDLEA, the vehicle was loaded with 26,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing about 3,960 kilograms.
In Delta State, officers recovered 331.84 kilograms of skunk from a Toyota Sienna bus bearing registration number KUJ 26 DV along the Kwale-Ughelli Expressway on July 26.
The agency further revealed that its operatives arrested a 64-year-old suspect, Joseph Nwaeke, in the Asso Angwan Muazu area of Karu, Nasarawa State, on July 28. He was allegedly found with 68 kilograms of skunk and 29 grams of methamphetamine.
In Zamfara State, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Zaria-Gusau highway intercepted Sani Umar on July 27 while he was allegedly transporting 7,400 tablets of tramadol (225mg), suspected to be intended for criminal groups.
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Babafemi also said commands across the country continued the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign by organising awareness programmes in schools and public places.
He noted that sensitisation lectures were delivered to students and staff of Hausawa Special Primary School in Kano, Royal Crown School in Oluyole, Ibadan, Government Secondary School in Ibi, Taraba State, as well as commercial drivers at the Challenge Bus Terminal Park in Ibadan.
Babafemi added that NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation and the commands in Rivers, Anambra, Delta, Nasarawa and Zamfara for the successful operations.
He said Marwa also urged personnel nationwide to sustain the agency’s strategy of combining strict drug enforcement with continuous public awareness campaigns.