NDLEA seizes cocaine in mortar and backpack, arrests four people

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency says its officers found cocaine hidden in a local mortar and a backpack meant for shipment to China and Italy through a logistics company in Lagos.

The agency also reported the arrest of four suspects in different operations across the country.

Femi Babafemi, the agency spokesperson, shared this information in a statement on Sunday. He said the cocaine was seized on Thursday by officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations.

Babafemi explained that 250 grammes of cocaine were fitted into the base of a local mortar packaged for export to China. Another 500 grammes were found hidden in the false bottom of a backpack heading to Italy.

In Rivers State, a 38-year-old suspected drug dealer named Ugo Gift Okonkwo was arrested at Eagle Island, Port Harcourt. This happened after officers received intelligence reports.

"The suspect was caught with different quantities of cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, swinol, tramadol and codeine syrup during his arrest on Sunday, 26th July," the statement said.

In Anambra State, officers stopped a truck with registration number XK 131 BDG at the DMGS Roundabout in Onitsha on July 27. They recovered 26,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 3,960 kilogrammes.

The truck driver, Chinedu Nwanze, 40, was also arrested.

The officers also seized 331.84 kilogrammes of skunk from a Toyota Sienna bus with registration number KUJ 26 DV along the Kwale-Ughelli Expressway in Delta State on July 26.

In Nasarawa State, Babafemi noted that a 64-year-old suspect named Joseph Nwaeke was arrested on July 28 at Asso Angwan Muazu. He was found with 68 kilogrammes of skunk and 29 grammes of methamphetamine.

Along the Zaria-Gusau Highway in Zamfara State, NDLEA officers caught a 27-year-old suspect, Sani Umar, on July 27. He had 7,400 pills of tramadol 225mg, believed to be for criminal groups.

The spokesperson mentioned that the agency’s commands across the country are still running the War Against Drug Abuse campaign. This includes sensitisation programmes in schools, communities, worship centres, and motor parks.

Mohamed Buba Marwa, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, praised the officers involved in these operations. He encouraged personnel nationwide to keep up the agency’s balanced approach to reducing drug supply and demand.