Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have uncovered cocaine and opioid consignments hidden inside cartons prepared for shipment to the United Kingdom and Australia, as the agency intensified anti-drug operations across the country.
The agency also said it destroyed 65,000 kilograms of skunk during a series of raids carried out in different states nationwide.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement, the illegal consignments were intercepted at a courier facility in Lagos during routine checks on packages bound for the UK and Australia.
“A total of 170grams of cocaine sealed in cellophane parcels and buried in the walls of a carton of clothes heading to Australia were recovered,” the statement said.
Babafemi further revealed that another package meant for the United Kingdom contained “200 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 1,100 capsules of tramadol and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection” hidden inside a carton.
In Delta State, NDLEA operatives stormed Ejeonu village in Ukwuani Local Government Area, where they destroyed 27,500 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 11 hectares of farmland. Officers also recovered 22.9 kilograms of the substance during the operation.
The agency said a 52-year-old suspect, Ifeanyichukwu Peter, was later apprehended during a follow-up raid in Obiaruku.
Another operation conducted at Orogun village in Ughelli North Local Government Area led to the destruction of 37,500 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 15 hectares of land. Operatives equally recovered 55.4 kilograms of the substance and arrested a 30-year-old suspect identified as Godwin Vincent Osadera.
“This brings the total weight of skunk destroyed by NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers in the two operations to 65,000 kilograms,” the statement noted.
In Kaduna State, operatives recovered 361 kilograms of skunk during a raid in the Dan Magaji area of Zaria, leading to the arrest of 42-year-old Husaini Suleiman.
The agency also uncovered a large quantity of military-grade ammunition along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.
Babafemi said “1,989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm ammunition concealed in fresh white cassava granules locally known as garri” were recovered from a 35-year-old suspect, Abdullahi Hassan.
He added that the suspect, alongside the recovered ammunition, had been handed over to another security agency for further investigation.
In the Federal Capital Territory, NDLEA operatives arrested a businessman, Ogadi Peter, who was allegedly involved in producing drug-infused cakes and cookies for social gatherings.
The 29-year-old suspect was arrested at his residence in the Life Camp area of Abuja after intelligence gathering by operatives.
“800grams of skunk and 2.70kg drug-laced cookies” were recovered from him, the statement added.
In Ogun State, operatives also seized 181 kilograms of skunk from a suspect identified as Aliyu Sani during an operation in the Ogere area.
Similarly, in Taraba State, NDLEA officers arrested 27-year-old Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa along the Zaki-Biam road in Wukari Local Government Area with “105,850 pills of opioids, including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5.”