August 04, (THEWILL) – Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted “multiple consignments of illicit drugs” concealed in tins of Cerelac baby food and clothes going to the United States and United Kingdom.
Spokesperson of the agency, Femi Babafemi, who confirmed the incident in a press statement issued on Sunday, said the consignments were intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and a courier firm in Lagos.
“No less than 36 parcels of a strong strain of cannabis concealed in six cartons of tins of branded Nestle Cerelac baby food, with six containers in each package were recovered at the SAHCOL export shed of Lagos airport on Wednesday, 31st July 2024. The psychotropic substance has a total weight of 18.50 kilograms.
“A freight agent, Salaudeen Suliat Abiola, who presented the consignment for export to the UK, was promptly arrested while a follow-up operation to Ibadan, Oyo state, on Saturday, 3rd August led to the arrest of the sender of the cargo, Bello Motunrayo Folu, at her No. 20 Mofoluwasho Estate, Elewuro, Akobo area of the Oyo state capital.
“The Cerelac tins were all factory-sealed at the top while they tampered with the bottom through which they put the substances covered with loose quantities of the infant cereal meal to prevent discovery, an effort that ended in futility as vigilant NDLEA officers were able to foil the attempt,” the statement explained.
In the same vein, five different shipments of opioids and other psychoactive substances, such as promethazine, pentazocine, diazepam, tramadol, and morphine concealed in cloths and other items meant for export to the US and UK were equally interrupted by NDLEA operatives in Lagos.
While one of the shipments containing 820grams of promethazine and pentazocine injections was going to the United States, the remaining four parcels consisting of over two kilograms of opioids such as tramadol 225mg, molly and NPS were heading to the United Kingdom. They were all intercepted on Monday, July 29, at a logistics company in Lagos.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Tincan port in Lagos, on Friday, August 2, 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, August 1, 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 same psychoactive substance include: Jimoh Omotosho, 63; Donald Obi, 62; Emmanuel Patrick, 21; Kayode Oluwaseun, 39; and John Nsikan, 34,” the statement added.
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, July 30, while a suspect, Osayede Aghoma, was arrested. Another suspect, Ibrahim Abubakar, 55, was on Wednesday, July 31, nabbed with 40 blocks of same substance weighing 19.200kg along the Okene-Lokoja Highway in a commercial bus coming from Lagos en route to 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.
He charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the zeal and tempo.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
