The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA), has busted a drug trafficking group at MMIA in Ikeja, Lagos, resulting in the apprehension of four individuals and confiscation of 8kg of methamphetamine and 7.60kg of a synthetic cannabis variant called Loud, which was imported from South Africa.
Femi Babafemi, who serves as the Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, revealed the development in an official statement made available to Africa health report ( AHR)on Sunday,
Babafemi revealed that the syndicate came to light after an airport official was apprehended with a backpack and a bag at Terminal 1 on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. Following a search of the bags, illegal substances were found. Further efforts in the Ajao Estate region of Lagos led to the apprehension of two additional syndicate members, namely Chris Nwadozie and Chinedu Nwaosu.
Additional probing resulted in the capture of another member of the cartel who was operating within the airport system on Saturday, May 25th.
In related developments, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport arrested Sonubi Mariam Abiodun, a freight agent, for attempting to export 8 parcels of cocaine weighing 2kg concealed in paint buckets of shea butter to the United Kingdom on Wednesday, May 22.
In a different event, the NDLEA apprehended a 48-year-old businessman named Emmanuel Okechuku Orjinze at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja.
“Orjinze, who was set to travel to Paris, France, was found to have swallowed 111 wraps of cocaine during the screening process for an Air France flight on Tuesday, May 21.
“The suspect excreted a total of 111 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.603 kilograms over three days,” Babafemi stated. Orjinze, who claimed to be a professional footballer in Europe, is now in NDLEA custody.
