Two with 16.65kg of cocaine nabbed by NDLEA in Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two suspected drug barons, over unlawful importation of 16.65 kilograms of cocaine.

It was gathered that the 16.65 kilograms of cocaine that was with the suspects into Nigeria worth billions of naira.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforce Agency (NDLEA) attached to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on Wednesday last week arrested the two suspects by name Okwubunne Chidiebere Simeon and Aniakar Uchenna James on arrival from Sao Paulo, Brazil with 10.40kgs and 6.25kgs of cocaine, respectively.

Mr. Ahmadu Garba, Commander, NDLEA at the Lagos Airport, who spoke with newsmen at the weekend on the arrest said that the items were concealed in eight children duvet, which contained seven absorbent towels.

According to him, the suspects soaked the towels with cocaine, while the remaining drugs were concealed in tin cans labelled ‘Schramn’, bur stuffed with cocaine.

Similarly, the command in the third quarter of 2020 (July, August and September) arrested 12 suspects and made seizures of 15.800 kilograms.

In July, the command said it arrested three suspects comprising two males and one female; three suspects were arrested in August made up of two females and one male while in September six people comprising four males and two females were arrested.

In all, a total of 15.800 kilograms of drugs were seized comprising Cannabis 13.860, cocaine 0.300 and methamphetamine 1.640 during the period.

Speaking on last week’s arrest, the commander described the method of concealment as “spectacular”, saying the volume of the seizure would have caused havoc in the country if his officers had not detected it.

He said, “The arrests and seizures are coming at a time when all hands are supposed to be on deck towards curbing the fragile security situation in our country.

“Involvement of people in drugs stands condemnable considering the fact that drug intakes is a catalyst that fuels crime.
“If this quantum of drugs had penetrated into the society, we can only imagine the multiplier effect of crime rate in this state.”

He advised members of the public to continue to resist any form of involvement in drug abuse and trafficking, assuring that the command would continue to expose several methods of concealment being devised by drug traffickers.

He called on all stakeholders particularly the sister security agencies and indeed the general public “to identify with us in this drug war to pave way for a drug free, crime free and thus healthy community.”