NDLEA seizes N22.7 billion drugs at Lagos, Rivers seaports
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted drugs valued at N22.7 billion in separate operations.
The drugs seized are over 32 million tramadol pills at Lekki Deep Seaport and 1.4 million bottles of codeine syrup at Apapa and Port Harcourt ports
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, who revealed this, said, “The combined monetary value of the seized opioids comes to twenty-two billion, seven hundred and forty million, nine hundred and fifty-eight thousand naira (N22,740,958,000).”
He said the drugs were seized from containers watch-listed by the NDLEA based on intelligence and processed for 100 percent joint examination with personnel from Nigeria Customs and other security agencies at the three seaports between Monday, 7th and Friday, 11th October 2024.
Babafemi said, “Following a fresh wave of interdiction operations targeting transnational drug cartels, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, also arrested a Thailand returnee, Oguejiofor Nnaemeka Simonpeter, for importing 13.30 kilograms of heroin worth over N3.192 billion.
“Oguejiofor was arrested on Monday, 7th October 2024, while attempting to smuggle the illicit drug out of the airport, concealed in six backpacks and packed into two large suitcases.
“The 29-year-old graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Anambra State, had left Thailand on 3rd October on a Qatar Airways flight and stopped over in Doha where he spent two days before heading to Lagos. His luggage was routed to Accra, Ghana, his original destination.
“After arriving in Lagos on 5th October, he contacted the airline to reroute his luggage to Nigeria so that he could pick it up as rush baggage in an attempt to bypass security checks. However, NDLEA officers intercepted him at the point of exit.
“A search of his two suitcases revealed three empty backpacks in each, with a large parcel of heroin neatly sewn into all six backpacks.
“The six parcels were subsequently recovered with a gross weight of 13.30kg. In his statement, Oguejiofor claimed he was hired for a fee of $7,000 upon successful delivery of the parcels.
“He said he was to deliver two parcels in Lagos and the other four parcels in Accra, Ghana.”