The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested a 49-years-old businessman, Kingsley Celestino, with 9.40 kilograms of heroin concealed in false bottoms of his two travelling bags on his way to India.
Celestino, a passenger on Qatar Airline flight was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos, while travelling with a Guinean International passport.
The spokesperson of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi in a statement said during a preliminary investigation it was revealed that the suspect frequently travels to India on business class tickets.
Babafemi said the suspect deals in clothing business between Nigeria and India. It was further established that he obtained the Guinean international passport in Guinea Bissau, where he said his mother came from.
He said in the same vein, a 24-year-old passenger travelling to Oman, Etounu Monday, was intercepted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Monday February 27, during the outward clearance of Ethiopian Airline flight ET 950 while attempting to export 1.924kg of skunk concealed in cream tubes.
Also, at the Tincan seaport, Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday March 3, recovered 244 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 79 kilograms concealed in medium size wooden sound system speakers packed inside two out of four used vehicles in a container marked CRSU9258348 coming from Toronto via Montreal, Canada. The imported vehicles used as cover for the drugs are a 2009 Jeep Wrangler and a 2009 Honda Ridgeline.
Similarly, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, attached to courier firms in Lagos intercepted a consignment of nine parcels of methamphetamine concealed in native black soap, Dudu Osun, heading to Europe.
No fewer than 778,190 pills of pharmaceutical opioids including tramadol and a drum of 270kg Methylene Chloride were recovered by operatives from a suspect, One Eric Pepe Yohanna, 33, in Jalingo, Taraba state on Monday, February 27, following credible intelligence. Also seized from him is a Daylong tricycle used in distributing the illicit substances.
While in Adamawa state, the house of a wanted notorious drug dealer, Mamudu Njobdi at Sebore, Gyalla road Dougada ward, Mubi was raided in the early hours of Monday February 27, where he was arrested and drug exhibits recovered.
The 31-year-old suspect was earlier arrested on Wednesday February 22, at his drug joint in Kolere water board but mobilized thugs to attack NDLEA officers and in the process escaped with exhibits.
While a suspect identified as Geoffrey Okpani, (31), was arrested at Bukuru area of Jos, Plateau state with 27.45kg of cannabis, Ajayi Tope, (30), was arrested on Saturday March 4, at Area 5 Ile-Ife, in Ife south local government area of Osun state with 18kg of same substance. Also in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday March 3, raided De-Niche Hotel & Suites, Omole estate, Ojodu Ikeja where 24 suspects were arrested and different quantities of illicit drugs were recovered from them.
Reacting to the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigidier. General. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers, men and women of MMIA, NAIA, Tincan, Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau, Osun and Lagos Commands as well as DOGI for their efforts.
He, however, charged them and their counterparts across the country to intensify the ongoing mop up operations to deny political thugs access to illicit substances ahead of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections this weekend.
