NDLEA Intercepts Illicit Drug Hidden In Statue Of Virgin Mary

• The NDLEA command in Ondo state arrested 31 suspects — 24 males and seven females

140 grammes of methamphetamine stuffed in a statue of Virgin Mary and being transported to the Philippines has been intercepted, The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said.

Femi Babafemi, the agency’s spokesman, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, said another 500 grammes of héroïne destined for Canada and hidden in automobile spare parts were confiscated by the agency.

According to the NDLEA spokesman, 3.1 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed inside spices and local herbs were also intercepted in a package bound for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Babafemi said the illicit drugs were seized in courier companies in Lagos state.

 

“The narcotics agents from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations seized 500 grammes of heroin going to Canada and hidden inside auto spare parts from one of the courier firms, while 140 grammes of Methamphetamine going to the Philippines and concealed inside a statue of Mary was seized in another courier company,” he said.

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“The Director, Operations and General Investigations, Adeyemi Adeofe disclosed that 3.1 kg of cannabis going to UAE concealed inside spices, and another kilogramme of cannabis going to UAE concealed inside local herbs, were intercepted and seized.”

In a related development, the NDLEA command in Ondo state arrested 31 suspects — 24 males and seven females — while 275.552kg of assorted drugs were recovered.

The agency said the arrests were made between April 6 and April 20.

NDLEA said the operations were “carried out to curb the increasing rate of drug abuse among the youths and even the elderly in Ondo state”.

The agency added that the drugs seized “consist of 74.285kg of cannabis Sativa, 267grammes of psychotropic substances: 201kg of skuchies (a combination of cannabis, tramadol, ethanol, and zobo), while many of the drug spots have been dismantled”.

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In a similar operation, the NDLEA command in Akwa Ibom intercepted and seized 62.150kg of illicit drugs in Oron and Uyo LGA in the state.

Four suspects were said to have been arrested in the two operations carried out on Thursday and Friday.

Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, commended the various commands for the seizures and arrests and urged them to do more to tackle the scourge of drug abuse and trafficking in the country.