NDLEA Thwarts Major Drug Smuggling Attempts At Lagos Airport, Beyond

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dealt a significant blow to drug trafficking syndicates through a series of successful operations across Nigeria.

In a major bust at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), operatives discovered 46.6 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, concealed in the luggage of Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, a 24-year-old Thai national.

The suspect, arrested last Thursday, admitted to being a hired courier who expected $3,000 for delivering the 43 parcels to Nigeria.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA spokesperson, revealed the details in a statement on Sunday. He explained that Ms. Wimonnat arrived in Doha, Qatar, aboard a Qatar Airways flight from Thailand.

Last Friday, the Lagos airport experienced yet another significant seizure. NDLEA officers foiled an attempt to export 68 parcels of Ghanaian Loud (42.2 kilogrammes) concealed in crated cartons bound for London, UK.

Three suspects were initially apprehended, including a goods agent and two dispatch riders, which led to the arrest of the mastermind, Samuel Bitris, at his home in Ajah, Lagos.

Beyond Lagos, NDLEA operations continued to produce impressive results. Last Thursday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, 49,000 tramadol 225mg pills were intercepted during a joint operation with Customs and other security agencies. The pills were concealed in 49 cartons within a 40-foot container.

Significant skunk seizures were also made in Nasarawa and Niger States. In Nasarawa, 517 kilogrammes of skunk were seized, prompting the arrests of Bello Adamu (40) and Pius Azuka (42). Meanwhile, 62.7 kilogrammes of skunk were seized from Usman Ruwa (43) and Yunusa Haruna (45) in Niger state.

Babafemi also highlighted the agency’s ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns, which are aimed at schools, places of worship, workplaces, and communities across the country.

Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, praised the agency’s officers for their accomplishments, emphasising the importance of a balanced approach to addressing both drug supply and demand.

He expressed gratitude for their dedication and commitment to combating drug trafficking throughout the country.