The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced on Tuesday that it intercepted parcels of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and Cannabis Sativa being shipped to the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Australia, Maldives and New Zealand.
According to a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the agency, Femi Babafemi, a notorious trafficker, Sikiru Owolabi, who is behind at least two of the parcels has been traced and arrested after days of thorough and systematic surveillance by NDLEA operatives.
“Undercover narcotics agents attached to two international courier companies in Lagos made the seizures,” the statement added.
Babafemi added that the suspect, Owolabi, who has made useful confessions during interrogations, was tracked after 1kilogramme of cocaine concealed in cream containers and meant for Dublin in Northern Ireland was intercepted at one of the courier firms in Lagos.
“This was also followed by the discovery of another 200grammes of cocaine meant for London, the United Kingdom in the same courier company.
“In another undercover operation, 320grammes of heroin concealed in earrings coming from Congo and going to Australia was seized at a different courier firm in Lagos, just as another 390 grammes of cocaine hidden in men’s clothing and going to Northern Ireland was intercepted in the same company,” the statement added.
Also, 500grammes of Cannabis Sativa concealed in automobile parts going to New Zealand was seized at one of the courier companies and 200 grammes of methamphetamine hidden inside an award plaque and going to New Zealand, with another 200 grammes of methamphetamine concealed in a book and going to the Maldives, were equally intercepted by the agency.
Efforts are ongoing to track and arrest other traffickers behind the other unaccompanied illicit drugs packaged as parcels for shipment to Europe.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Mohammed Buba Marwa in reaction commended the men and officers involved in the operations to frustrate attempts by drug barons and traffickers to ship illicit drugs overseas through unaccompanied parcels