2 young ladies and other have been arrested as National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted no fewer than sixty-six (66) parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, packaged inside tea bags at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy on Sunday, June 8, 2025.
According to him, the seizure made on Thursday June 5, 2025 was based on credible intelligence received ahead of the arrival of the consignment at the cargo wing of the airport on May 11.
Don’t miss out on any real-time information. Join our WhatsApp group to stay updated.
..
He added that the NDLEA had watch-listed the shipment, and sustained surveillance around it for over three weeks before inviting other stakeholders for a joint examination last Thursday.
Babafemi said the Loud consignment weighing 62.20kg was concealed inside wraps of green tea that came from Thailand via UAE on an Emirate Airlines flight.
In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Monday 2nd June intercepted a consignment of 1,665kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, along Lekki-Ajah expressway. Two suspects: Gidado Abdulrasaq Ayinde and Obanla Oluwafemi were promptly arrested in connection with the seizure.
In Kaduna, operatives of the state command of NDLEA on patrol along Abuja – Kaduna expressway on Tuesday 3rd June arrested 29-year-old Goodluck Nnaemeka with 612 bottles of codeine-based syrup and 2,970 pills of flunitrazepam.
In another operation same day, a 52-year-old wanted drug dealer Kabiru Musa (a.k.a KB) was arrested at Kurmin Mashi. A total of 25.7kg skunk was earlier recovered from his base.
While a total of 9kg Loud was recovered from the spare tyre compartment of an Audi station wagon car marked AAA 975 XU driven by Atari Israel, 45, along Auchi road, Edo state, two young ladies: Favour Joy and Joy Igwe were on Tuesday 3rd June nabbed at Ikpoba hill area of Benin city. Recovered from them include: 106.57kg skunk; 1kg Loud; 800grams Colorado and 302grams of methamphetamine.
Meanwhile, the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service has handed over a suspected drug trafficker, 1665kg of cannabis sativa and a truck to operatives of the NDLEA for prosecution.
The drug suspect is among seven others arrested by officers of the FOU Zone A for their alleged involvement in smuggling in the South West.
The Customs Area Controller, FOU Zone A, Mohammed Shuaibu, who made this revelation while showcasing some of the seizures made by the unit in the last two weeks, said the duty paid value of all the seizures is put at N1.290 billion.
Comptroller Shuaibu stated that the seizures were made following the renewed vigour of officers of the unit to fight smuggling and criminalities through intelligence-driven operations.
Giving details of the seizures, he said: “On the 23rd and 24th of May 2025, at about 0300hrs and 0230hrs, our patrol teams within Lagos metropolis acted on intelligence, intercepted and seized 2X40FT containers with containers numbers (MSCU 5295718 and MRSU 5856090) respectively along the Ijora-Olopa, and Mile 2 axis.
“The examination reports of these containers revealed the following contents: Seven Mitsubishi Canters, five Toyota Hiace buses, and three mini shuttle buses all cut up with their parts complete with clear intention to evade customs duties.
Don’t miss out on any real-time information. Join our WhatsApp group to stay updated.
..
“Other items include used bicycles, 312 bales of printed wax, 23 bales of used clothing, 42 used gas cylinders and 30 used flat screens televisions, 65 table top cookers and 31 units of used split air conditioning among others.