The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 11.5kg of skunk concealed in a giant wooden statue in Lagos.
Skunk is made from cannabis plants.
The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday said the narcotics was discovered at a courier company in the state.
He said that the skunk came into the country from Ghana with London as its destination.
“At the Lagos airport, a freight agent, Ogunsina Damilare, was arrested on Friday 6th January following a bid to export 1.5 kilogrammes of skunk hidden in foodstuffs to Dubai, UAE through the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA,” the statement reads.
“While a similar attempt to ship 11.5kgs of the same substance to the United Kingdom was frustrated when the consignment concealed in a giant wooden sculpture was intercepted by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI) at a courier company in Lagos. Curiously, the latter emanated from Ghana with London as the destination.”
Mr Babafemi said various attempts by drug dealers to “use various disingenuous modes of concealment to import consignments of illicit substances into Nigeria and export same to the United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirate through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja and Tincan seaport in Lagos have been thwarted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.”
He said at least 37.5 kilogrammes of such illicit consignments were intercepted recently and 11 suspects were arrested in Kaduna, Kano and Lagos.
He said that the operation led to the seizure of almost four tons of skunk in the states.
“At the Tincan port in Lagos, a shipment of 24.5kilogrammes cannabis indica to Nigeria from Montreal, Canada was intercepted by operatives while an N8 million bribe offered NDLEA officers by the importer has been secured in an account for the prosecution of the case,” Mr Babafemi said.
“While the importer, Cedrick Maduweke is still at large, one of his accomplices, Steve Isioma Adigwe has been arrested. The consignment was hidden in a used Toyota Sienna vehicle that arrived at the port along with three other cars in a container marked MSMU 5082733.”
He added that in Lagos, a total of 28,400 tablets of tramadol and over 230kg of cannabis were seized in raid operations in Festac town and Lagos Island areas of Lagos state.
“Some of the suspects arrested in the Lagos raids include: Rukayyat Eshinlokun; Pelumi Alejo and Banna Maina who specializes in distribution of illicit drugs disguised as a dispatch rider,” he said.
“In Imo State, a suspect, Amechi Moses was arrested in a follow up operation on Friday 6th January following the interception of 29, 800 tablets of Tramadol 225mg in a commercial bus along Owerri – Onitsha road going to Aba in Abia state.”
