By Deborah Nnamdi
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted a consignment of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, concealed in duvets, packaged for export to the United Kingdom through the cargo shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to a statement by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy at the NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja on Sunday, the two suspects—Adakole Sunday and Austin Balogun—were promptly arrested following the discovery by NDLEA officers on Tuesday.
Six parcels of the psychoactive substance, with a gross weight of 3.50 kilograms, were concealed inside the duvet.
Babafemi disclosed that Austin Balogun, in his statement, claimed he was paid N700,000 to transport the consignment to the UK but spent a fraction of the money on export handling charges and the bulk to pay for an apartment.
The NDLEA’s spokesman also announced that two suspects—Joseph Oluwasegun Adewale and Biodun Adelakun—were arrested at Igbo Olumo, Ikorodu, Lagos, when NDLEA operatives raided their hideout in the community, where seven liters scrunchies, a new psychoactive substance produced with black currant, cannabis, and opioids, were recovered.
According to the statement, other exhibits seized from the duo included: three locally made double-barrel rifles; one locally made double-barrel pistol; one English-made pistol; one locally made single-barrel rifle; three cartridges; one empty 9mm cartridge; and an iron-head axe.
“Another raid in Lagos on Sunday, 19th January, led to the seizure of 47 kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis, and 25.46 kg of Nitrous Oxide, popularly known as laughing gas, at the notorious Akala area of Mushin.
“In Ekiti, a 26-year-old suspect, Adepoju Taiwo, was arrested by NDLEA officers on Thursday, 23rd January, with 1.950 kg of Canadian Loud at Iworoko Road, Ilokun, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, while Auwal Sani was nabbed by operatives on Monday, 20th January, at Bode Saadu in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State. A total of 50,000 pills of tramadol (225 mg), weighing 36.56 kg, were recovered from him.
“A Nigerien, Abubakar Lami, 45, with two others—Abba Sani, 35, and Auwal Aliyu, 32—were arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano, white Izuzu 13.1 kg of skunk and 125 liters of ‘suck and die,’ a new psychoactive substance, were recovered from them.
“In Gefen Kasa, Dawakin Kudu Council Area of Kano State, a cannabis plantation was located and destroyed by a team of NDLEA officers who arrested a suspect, Sabo Ali Muhammad, 45, linked to the farm,” the statement partly stated.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Kano, Kwara, and Ekiti Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week.
Marwa also applauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA social advocacy lectures and sensitization activities in every part of their areas of responsibility.
