NDLEA Seizes Drug Consignments In Baby Food Tins, Clothes Bound For US, UK

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted multiple consignments of illicit drugs concealed in baby food tins and clothing items destined for the United States and United Kingdom. The seizures were made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a courier firm in Lagos.

In a press statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi revealed that 36 parcels of a potent strain of cannabis, hidden in six cartons of baby food tins, were recovered at the SAHCOL export shed of Lagos airport last Wednesday. The total weight of the cannabis was 18.5 kilograms. The freight agent, Salaudeen Abiola, who presented the consignment for export to the UK, was arrested. A subsequent operation in Ibadan, Oyo State, led to the arrest of the sender, Bello Folu, at her residence.

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Babafemi explained that the food tins were factory-sealed at the top and tampered with at the bottom, where the drugs were inserted and covered with infant cereal to avoid detection. However, vigilant NDLEA officers uncovered the concealment.

Additionally, five shipments of opioids and other psychoactive substances concealed in clothing items and other packages destined for the US and UK were intercepted by NDLEA operatives in Lagos. One shipment containing 820 grams of promethazine and pentazocine injections was headed to the US, while four parcels containing over two kilograms of opioids, including tramadol, molly, and NPS, were destined for the UK. These were seized at a logistics company in Lagos.

Furthermore, NDLEA operatives at Tincan port in Lagos, during a joint examination with Customs Service and other stakeholders, recovered 77 packages of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, from the body compartments of four vehicles imported from Canada. The seized drugs weighed 38.5 kilograms, and two suspects, Salami Sunday and Lekan Atoyebi, were arrested.

In another operation, Isiagu Sunday was arrested in Mushin, Lagos, with 1,740 bottles of codeine syrup and 1,070 tablets of Molly.