Nigeria Intercepts Europe-Bound Cocaine, Opioids Hidden In Sanitary Pads, Hair Cream

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids concealed in ladies’ sanitary pads and hair treatment cream containers at three courier firms in Lagos State.

The consignments were heading to the United Kingdom, Ireland and Cyprus before they were impounded.

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy in a statement on Sunday disclosed that in one of the logistics companies, parcels of cocaine were concealed in hair cream containers recovered by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) during the examination of cargoes going to Ireland on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

He said, “Another consignment of 24 parcels of cocaine weighing 862 grams also hidden in hair cream containers meant for delivery in UK was equally intercepted at the same company on Friday 6th September.

“In the same vein, a total of 525 pills of tramadol 225mg and ecstasy (MDMA) concealed in ladies’ sanitary pads going to Cyprus were seized at another courier firm in Lagos by NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 3rd September, while a shipment of 200 ampoules of promethazine injection and pentazocine injection hidden in food items and herbs heading to London, UK, was also seized by operatives on Wednesday 4th September.

“Operatives equally intercepted another consignment of tramadol 225mg buried in granulated melon that came from Cameroon and going to South Africa on Friday 6th September.”

“No fewer than 550,000 pills of tramadol were also intercepted at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt on Monday 2nd September during a joint examination of a cargo that came from Delhi, India, with men of the Nigerian Customs Service while a suspect was already arrested in connection with the seizur,” Babafemi added.