Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recovered 997 kilograms of cannabis sativa within the past seven days in parts of Edo State.
Spokesman for the anti-narcotic Agency, Femi Babafemi confirmed this on Sunday in a statement.
He said 680kg cannabis and a Sienna bus marked FST-320 AE were seized at a bush path to Oghada forest in Oghada, Orhionmwan Local Government Area in the State.
Babafemi explained that 180.5kg of same substance was recovered from a suspect, Cecilia Ibe, 31, at Ofosu forest, Ovia South West Local Government Area.
The NDLEA spokesman also revealed that 136.5kg evacuated from a building in Otuo Community, Owan East Local Government Area on Thursday 14th November 2024.
The statement said NDLEA personnel thwarted attempts by drug syndicates to export large consignments of cocaine, methamphetamine and opioids through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja to the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey and Qatar.
He said the feat was recorded in the previous week through series of intelligence led operations recovered the illicit drugs and arrested the masterminds.
A total of 13 parcels of cocaine weighing 4.40kg cocaine going to the United Kingdom via Frankfurt on a Lufthansa Airlines flight were also intercepted by NDLEA officers.
The incident happened at the export shed of the Lagos airport on 5th November 2024, while a businessman linked to the consignment, Ekeocha Anayo Nelson, was tracked and arrested on 8th November.
Similarly, the bid by another businessman, Adegbite Solomon (aka Obama) to export 7,800 pills of tramadol, 180 tablets of rohypnol, and 60 bottles of codeine to Italy was also foiled at the departure hall of the Lagos airport.
The lid was blown open on Monday 11th November when NDLEA operatives arrested him after recovering the opioids concealed in food and other items while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Italy.
The suspect claimed to have travelled to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea and earned a living as a street beggar before delving into logistics business.
Also related is the arrest of another businessman, Anoke Kingsley Roomy with 1,100 pills of tramadol 225mg hidden in his luggage while attempting to board his Ethiopian Airlines flight going to Istanbul, Turkey at the terminal 1 of the Lagos airport on Friday 15th November.
NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, and their counterparts from the FCT Command of the Agency acting on credible intelligence on Friday 15th November raided a hotel room at the Federal Housing Authority estate, Lugbe, Abuja
Two suspects: Omeh Uchenna Jude, 36, and Anene Valentine Chigozie, 34 were arrested by NDLEA.
1.8kg methamphetamine, which they were preparing to travel with to Qatar were recovered from the suspects.
Another suspect, Akande Moruf Olasunkanmi, was arrested with 1.8kg methamphetamine by operatives of a Special Operations Unit in NDLEA at his 9 Durojaiye street, Lawanson area of Surulere, Lagos home after weeks of intelligence and surveillance.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives arrested a suspect Adio Sulaiman with 120.8kg cannabis and some litres of codeine at Gaa Odota in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State last week.
While Kelechi Obichere, 42, was nabbed with 75kg cannabis at Eziobodo, Owerri West LGA, Imo State on Thursday 14th November.
A total of 563.74 kilograms of same psychoactive substance were recovered from a 60-year-old suspect Anthony Anakabi, following his arrest at Iyalode, Iyana church area of Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, according to the NDLEA statement.
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