The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has seized drugs valued at N10 billion across Lagos ports in a series of coordinated operations. Femi Babafemi, the agency's media director, disclosed the interceptions in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja.
A 55-year-old businessman who trades in clothing at Lagos Island's Balogun market fell into the net after attempting to export 3.30 kilograms of cocaine. The suspect hid the drugs inside carton walls meant for foodstuffs destined for the United Kingdom.
NDLEA operatives intercepted the cocaine shipment on Wednesday at the Lagos airport's export shed. The businessman's arrest followed on Thursday, according to Babafemi.
Three cargo agents who facilitated the shipment were arrested during investigations. Their detention led officers to another suspect who had delivered the consignment to the agents for UK-bound transport.
That arrest exposed the network's mastermind, who was caught attempting to send yet another cocaine batch abroad. Babafemi said the kingpin's apprehension came as a result of the earlier detentions.
On July 21, operatives arrested a 31-year-old entrepreneur at her Surulere residence over drug trafficking charges. She had received 2.80 kilograms of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, which arrived from the United States on a United Airlines flight the previous day.
In another major haul at the airport, NDLEA recovered 2.2 million pills of Tapentadol 250 mg worth more than N2.2 billion. Officers discovered the opioids in a shipment from India aboard an Air Maroc flight on Friday following intelligence-led operations.
Separately, tramadol buried in black soap containers destined for the UK was intercepted at a Lagos courier firm on Wednesday, July 22. The operation showcased the agency's commitment to disrupting drug trafficking routes.
At Apapa seaport, the biggest seizure involved a container holding three vehicles that concealed 4,777 sachets of Canadian Loud. Officers uncovered the 2,388.5 kilograms of cannabis worth over N7.1 billion during a joint cargo examination on Monday, July 20.
