NDLEA Intercepts Illicit Drugs Hidden in Baby Food Tins, Clothes En Route to US, UK

In a statement on Sunday, August 4, Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, detailed the seizures. On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, 36 parcels of a potent strain of cannabis were found concealed in six cartons of Nestle Cerelac baby food tins, each containing six containers, at the SAHCOL export shed at Lagos airport. The total weight of the psychotropic substance was 18.50 kilograms.

The consignment was presented for export to the UK by freight agent Salaudeen Suliat Abiola, who was promptly arrested. A follow-up operation in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday, August 3, led to the arrest of the cargo sender, Bello Motunrayo Folu, at her residence in No. 20 Mofoluwasho Estate, Elewuro, Akobo, Ibadan. The Cerelac tins had been tampered with at the bottom, where the drugs were hidden beneath loose quantities of the infant cereal.

Additionally, NDLEA operatives intercepted five different shipments of opioids and other psychoactive substances, including promethazine, pentazocine, diazepam, tramadol, and morphine, concealed in clothes and other items bound for the US and UK. One shipment containing 820 grams of promethazine and pentazocine injections was headed to the United States, while the remaining four parcels, consisting of over two kilograms of opioids such as tramadol 225mg, molly, and NPS, were destined for the United Kingdom. These were intercepted on Monday, July 29, at a logistics company in Lagos.

The statement reads, “Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Tincan port in Lagos on Friday 2nd August recovered 77 packages of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis from the body compartments of four vehicles: Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, Toyota Corolla and Toyota Sienna imported from Canada during a joint examination of some containers with men of the Customs Service and other stakeholders.

“The seized consignments have a total weight of 38.5 kilograms while two suspects: Salami Abiodun Sunday, 34 and Lekan Atoyebi, 33, assigned to clear the shipments have been taken into custody.

“While Isiagu Sunday was arrested in Mushin Ojuoye, Lagos on Thursday 1st August with 1,740 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 174 litres and 1,070 tablets of Molly weighing 600grams, no less than 50 bags of cannabis with a gross weight of 520kg were recovered in the bush at Isuada, Owo council area of Ondo state just as five suspects were arrested at Itaogbolu forest, Akure North LG area of the state.

“The suspects nabbed in connection with the seizure of 42kg of the same psychoactive substance include Jimoh Omotosho, 63; Donald Obi, 62; Emmanuel Patrick, 21; Kayode Oluwaseun, 39; and John Nsikan, 34.

“In Edo state, twenty-two and a half bags of cannabis weighing 220kg were recovered from Egbeta community, Ovia North East area of Edo state on Tuesday 30th July while a suspect, Osayede Aghoma was arrested.

“Another suspect, Ibrahim Abubakar, 55, was on Wednesday 31st July nabbed with 40 blocks of the same substance weighing 19.200kg along Okene-Lokoja highway in a commercial bus coming from Lagos en-route Kano.

“With the same drive, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities among others in the past week.

“These include WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Khuddam College of Health Technology, Kofar Kaura, Katsina state; staff of Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Delta state; youths of St. Gabriel Catholic Church, Okpuno Awka, Anambra state and WADA advocacy visit to the Lisa of Ifon and community leaders, Ondo state, among others.

“While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Kogi, Edo, Ondo, Lagos, and Tincan, Commands as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the zeal and tempo.”