NDLEA intercepts Saudi-bound hashish in palm oil keg, seizes N7 billion tramadol at Lagos port

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a Saudi Arabia-bound consignment of hashish hid in a gallon of palm oil on the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, whereas uncovering 8,725 kilogrammes of powdered tramadol price greater than N6.98 billion on the Apapa Port in Lagos.

The company additionally arrested an 85-year-old grandmother in Edo State over alleged hashish possession and seized massive consignments of illicit medicine in Lagos, Ondo, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The NDLEA disclosed this in a press release issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

According to the assertion, operatives on the Kano airport intercepted a feminine passenger, Fatimah Ahmad, on Friday, October 16, throughout the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by way of Addis Ababa.

A search of her baggage revealed 511.75 grammes of hashish, popularly generally known as skunk, hid in a gallon of palm oil.

The suspect reportedly instructed operatives that her cousin, Abubakar Yahaya, gave her the gallon. Yahaya was subsequently arrested on the airport automotive park.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives uncovered 8,725 kilogrammes of powdered tramadol hydrochloride on the APM terminals in Apapa.

The consignment, imported from India and declared as maize starch, was found on October 2 throughout a joint examination involving the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service and different companies.

A confirmatory check on the company’s forensic laboratory established that the substance was tramadol hydrochloride powder.

The cargo was separated from its concealment on October 14 and located to comprise 349 baggage, with an estimated avenue worth exceeding N6.98 billion.

At the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, operatives on October 12 found 55 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, a potent pressure of hashish, valued at N165 million.

The substance was packed in brown cartons and hid inside a Toyota Sienna automobile shipped in a 40-foot container.

The company additionally raided Idumota Market on October 14, arresting Elizabeth Chidera Kalu and recovering 10,600 ampoules of diazepam injection and 6,500 tablets of Molly from her retailer.

In Mushin, two 35-year-old suspects, Idowu Daudu and Ahmed Oniyinde, had been arrested on October 15 with 59.95 kilogrammes and 61.23 kilogrammes of skunk respectively.

In one other operation, operatives intercepted a truck alongside Iyana Oba following intelligence about illicit medicine being transported from Trade Fair Market.

The operation led to the arrest of the truck’s loading supervisor, Tajudeen Adeduntan, and his assistant, Azeez Sikiru. A search of the automobile uncovered 18,000 tablets of tramadol 250mg hid in cartons labelled as Rambo insecticide.

In Edo state, NDLEA operatives arrested six suspects throughout raids in Warake, Ivhiaro and Ewe/Irue communities in Owan East Local Government Area between October 15 and 16.

Among these arrested was 85-year-old Grace Ehimeka, who was allegedly discovered with 179 kilogrammes of skunk in Warake.

Other suspects included Ayo Aigberadion, 53, allegedly discovered with 220.8 kilogrammes of hashish at Ewe/Irue; Ali Garba, 57, with 5.852 kilogrammes; Habib Braimoh, 45, with 100 grammes; Musa Mubid, 35, with two kilogrammes of hashish, hashish seeds, tramadol, Swinol and diazepam; and Hope Okoro, 35, with 237 grammes of Loud.

In Ondo State, operatives raided a hashish farm in Okemoro Isinbode Camp Forest on October 17, destroying an estimated 7,500 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on three hectares of land.

Five suspects had been arrested throughout the operation.

The company stated operatives additionally recovered 92 baggage of skunk weighing 1,267 kilogrammes, 11 kilogrammes of hashish seeds and three kilogrammes of recent hashish stems, bringing the load of the recovered displays to 1,281 kilogrammes.

In a separate operation in Owo, a 53-year-old suspect, Okunebe Ndidi, was arrested at his hideout in Ameyinti, the place 25 baggage of hashish weighing 375 kilogrammes had been recovered.

In Bauchi state, operatives intercepted a Volkswagen Golf wagon pushed by Shamsu Garba, 35, at Ragwam village in Katagum Local Government Area on October 14.

A search reportedly led to the restoration of 894,800 capsules and tablets of tramadol capsules and Exol-5.

On the identical day, operatives patrolling the Bauchi-Gombe Road recovered 291 blocks of hashish weighing 265 kilogrammes from an deserted automobile at Tudun Natsira village.

In Kano state, two suspects, Ali Abdullahi, 38, and Ibrahim Adamu, 23, had been arrested alongside the Zaria-Kano Road on October 13 with 30,100 tablets of tramadol 225mg.

Another suspect, 54-year-old Murtala Dayyabu, was arrested at Niger Street, Malan Kato, on October 14 with 100,000 tablets of Exol-5.
In Kaduna State, three suspects had been arrested throughout a raid at Kayimi village, with 496.5 kilogrammes of hashish recovered.

They had been recognized as Mohammed Sani, 48; Zaharadeen Shafiu, 29; and Yakubu Abdullahi, 20.

Another suspect, John Ayo David, 39, was arrested at Food Palace, Ali Akilu Road, with 49,500 tablets of tramadol 225mg.

In the FCT, operatives arrested 42-year-old Odo Jonas Ejike within the Utako space on October 17 with 29,500 capsules of tramadol.

Beyond enforcement operations, the company stated its instructions and formations sustained their War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation marketing campaign in faculties, non secular centres, workplaces and communities throughout the nation.

The outreach actions included lectures at faculties in Oyo, Gombe, Lagos, Kogi, Cross River, Edo and Kano states, in addition to the Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology in Port Harcourt.

Commending officers and males of the Apapa, Tin Can, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Kano and FCT instructions, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), urged them to maintain the intelligence-led operations in opposition to drug trafficking networks.

Marwa additionally referred to as for the continuation of the company’s balanced method to drug management, combining enforcement with public training and drug abuse prevention.