‘How NDLEA intercepted container of illicit drugs worth N10.3bn in Lagos’

By Ibironke Ariyo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted drugs worth over N10.3 billion in a container imported from Canada during a joint examination of the shipment by NDLEA officers, Customs personnel and other security agencies at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the 8,287 nylon bags of substance suspected to be Canadian Loud weighing 4,143.5 Kilo grammes were intercepted at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on July 10.

He added that the discovery followed weeks of targeted tracking and monitoring of the shipment since its departure from Montreal, Canada, by operatives of the Maritime Intelligence Unit of NDLEA.

According to him, this was in close collaboration with the Apapa Strategic Command of the agency.

He also said that the NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation (DOGI) foiled an attempt by a drug trafficker to export a 2.5-Kilo Gramme of substance suspected to be skunk, a strain of cannabis.

”The drugs were concealed in a gas compressor going to Cyprus through a courier company in Lagos,” he said.

He added that commands and formations of the agency across the country have continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities.

Babafemi quoted the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of DOGI and Apapa commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures.

Marwa noted their drug supply reduction efforts and charged them and their compatriots across the country not to relent.

(NAN)