Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of 225mg of cocaine and tramadol concealed in 71 vehicle side mirrors being sent to Libreville, Gabon.
The consignment for export through the shed of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, was intercepted with not less than three suspects linked to the cargo already arrested in follow-up operations.
The first batch of the consignment, spokesman NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi in a statement says, consisting 57,420 pills of tramadol 225mg and 57 pellets of Cocaine weighing 1.60kg were intercepted in a cargo going to Gabon on Air Côte d’Ivoire.
A popular cargo agent Ihekweme Osinachi Benedict handling the shipment was immediately arrested and further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect Uzochukwu Godspower Chukwurah.
According to Mr. Babafemi, eleven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 1kg were later recovered from four additional side mirrors being prepared for export found in the home of Uzochukwu bringing the total number of parcels of cocaine to 68 weighing 2.60 kilograms.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives also arrested a businesswoman, Mrs. Nwafor Roseann Nneka at her shop within the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos.
This follows the interception of 100 grams of cocaine and 300 grams of phenacetine, a cutting agent, concealed in ladies’ lipsticks going to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, through the export shed of the Lagos airport.
Two cargo agents linked to the shipment were earlier arrested before the eventual arrest of Nneka who runs the criminal trade as a family business with her husband Remigus Nwafor, currently on the run.
In her statement, Mrs. Nwafor admitted she bought the lipsticks used to conceal the illicit drugs while her husband handled the actual concealment.
The statement adds that, officers of the agency acting on intelligence arrested one Joseph Michael with 3.3 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis in Mushin while Ibrahim Sulaiman was nabbed in Iwaya area of Yaba with 16.5 litres of skuchies.
Reporting by Nosa Aituamen