Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested three suspected traffickers caught with hard drugs worth over N2 billion at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), in Ikeja, Lagos.
One of the suspects, Aniede Chimezie Bright, was arrested on Sunday, 28th March, during the outward clearance of passengers on Air Marroc, with 7.1kg of methamphetamine carefully concealed in food spices and packed in a Swiss polo suitcase. The illicit substance was bound for Spain with street value of over N2 billion.
According to the commander, MMIA Command of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Garba, “Unarguably, the closure of borders occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for the surge in the price of these drugs. For instance, the price of meth in Australia had increased from 200 dollars to 600 dollars per gramme due to supply cut, hence the desperation by the traffickers and barons alike.”
In a related development, the command equally intercepted one Bamidele Babatunde Adeyemo at SAHCO export shed of the airport with 800 grammes of cannabis sativa while operatives also seized 19.950kg of green leaves suspected to be khat. The cannabis, cleverly concealed in foodstuff, was bound for Dubai, UAE.
In a follow-up operation, one Asonye Christian was arrested in connection to the seizure of 800 grammes of cannabis while investigations are ongoing with a view to establishing more leads and getting the owner of the khat leaves arrested.
While commending the men and officers of the MMIA command for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, said the agency remained committed to its new maxim of offensive action against the activities of drug barons and traffickers wherever they are across Nigeria.
