The agency also reportedly intercepted packs of cannabis juice flown into Nigeria from South Africa, meant for distribution ahead of the Christmas festive season. The drugs were intercepted and seized at the Tincan seaport, Apapa and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos state capital.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said that its operatives intercepted consignments of ‘Colorado’ concealed in vehicles imported from Montreal, Canada.
The agency also reportedly intercepted packs of cannabis juice flown into Nigeria from South Africa, meant for distribution ahead of the Christmas festive season. The drugs were intercepted and seized at the Tincan seaport, Apapa and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos state capital.
Colorado is a brand of psychotropic drug commonly used by many Nigerans.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who made this known in a statement on Sunday said at least 12 suspects including two dock workers and a wine seller were arrested in connection with the two seizures.
Babafemi further noted that the anti-narcotics agency also recovered 152 kilogrammes of skunk from two dealers in Kano; 100,000 pills of Tramadol in Imo state and 520 kilogrammes of cannabis hidden in soft drink crates loaded in a truck, and meant to be taken to Abuja.
He said, “At the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport, the search of consolidated cargo from South Africa led to the discovery of smuggled bottled Cannabis juice with a gross weight of 16.50kg on Wednesday 21 December.
“Investigations by anti-narcotics officers subsequently led to the arrest of four freight agents: Soremekun Olalekan Wasiu; Olufisayo Dayo; Moruf Olusegun Bashir and Imole Moses Ajayi, whose statements eventually led to the arrest of the consignee, a wine shop business owner, Emebede Chuka, the following day Thursday 22 December.
“Also, an attempt to export quantities of cannabis and ecstasy pills also known as MDMA concealed in beverage drink, Bournvita, containers to Dubai, UAE, through the NAHCO export shed on Friday 23 Dec was frustrated while a vulcaniser given the assignment for a fee of N4,000, lyanda Ogunleye Yaya has been arrested.
“In the same vein, a consignment of 185 parcels of cannabis Indica, popularly called Colorado weighing 61.3kg have been seized during a joint examination of a container at the Tincan seaport, Lagos.
“The container marked MSCU5206726 from Montreal, Canada was declared as containing three units of used vehicles but upon a 100% examination, it was found to contain two vehicles; a 2009 Toyota Corolla car and a 2009 Ford Econoline bus as well as used car engines, bicycles, shoes and other items including the drugs.
“Two dock workers: Abdulquadri Abdulazeez and Ogbuji Kenneth are already in NDLEA custody in connection with the seizure following their initial arrest by the Port Security and the Police.
“In Kano, two suspects: Nura Zakariya'u and Alkasim Abubakar were arrested along Zaria-Kano Road, Kwanar Dangora, with 161 blocks of cannabis weighing 152kg and various quantities of Exol and Codeine based syrup, while a total of 100,000 pills of tramadol were recovered from a suspect, Amaechi Johnson in Imo state on his way to Onitsha, Anambra state. Similarly, a total of 708 kilogrammes of cannabis were recovered by operatives from a bus at Ehinogbe, Owo area of Ondo state on Tuesday 20 December.”
He said that in his reaction to the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended the personnel of the MMIA, Tincan, Kano, Ondo, Imo and FCT commands for their vigilance, professionalism and robust working relationship with other security agencies in their areas of responsibility.