NDLEA Intercepts Huge Cannabis Shipments Disguised As Tea, Arrests Multiple Suspects

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made significant drug seizures in several states this week, including a massive interception of cannabis disguised as green tea at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).

According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, MMIA operatives intercepted 66 parcels of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis disguised as green tea.

The 62.2-kg shipment arrived from Thailand via the United Arab Emirates on an Emirates Airlines flight.

“Based on credible intelligence, we had watch-listed the shipment and maintained surveillance for more than three weeks,” Babafemi said in a press release issued on Sunday.

“We then invited other stakeholders to a joint examination last Thursday, which resulted in the discovery of the concealed Loud.”

Further operations in Lagos resulted in the seizure of 1,665 kilogrammes of skunk, another strain of cannabis, along the Lekki-Ajah motorway on Monday. Two people, Gidado Ayinde and Obanla Oluwafemi, were arrested in connection with the seizure.

On Tuesday, the NDLEA’s state command in Kaduna arrested 29-year-old Goodluck Nnaemeka on the Abuja-Kaduna Motorway.

He was found with 612 bottles of codeine syrup and 2,970 flunitrazepam pills. On the same day, a wanted drug dealer, 52-year-old Kabiru Musa, also known as KB, was apprehended in Kurmin Mashi, with 25.7 kilogrammes of skunk recovered from his base.

The agency’s success extended to Edo State, where operatives on Auchi Road discovered 9 kilogrammes of Loud in the spare tyre compartment of a vehicle driven by Atari Israel, 45.

Furthermore, in Benin City, two women, Favour Joy and Joy Igwe, were apprehended with a large amount of illegal substances, including 106.57 kilogrammes of skunk, 1 kilogramme of Loud, 800 grammes of Colorado, and 302 grammes of methamphetamine.

Babafemi also emphasised the ongoing efforts of NDLEA commands across the country to promote the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) through various social advocacy initiatives.

Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, praised the commands in MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, and Edo for their significant arrests and seizures.

He also acknowledged the efforts of all commands across the country in maintaining a balanced approach to drug supply and demand reduction strategies.