NDLEA Seizes Cocaine Bound for UK, Saudi Arabia Hidden in Lipsticks

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted cocaine concealed in lipsticks and a property title document, destined for the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, respectively.

According to a statement released on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, operatives from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation uncovered the consignments on Thursday at a logistics company in Lagos.

The statement revealed that 420 grams of cocaine were hidden in 84 factory-fitted female lipsticks intended for the UK, while another 280 grams were concealed within a Certificate of Occupancy being shipped to Saudi Arabia.

“A total of 420grams of cocaine factory fitted in 84 pieces of female lipsticks heading to the UK were seized, while 280 grams of the same Class A drug were uncovered in a property title document (Certificate of Occupancy) being sent to Saudi Arabia,” the statement partly read.

In a separate operation, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi reported that a drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, also known as ‘Warri Kinsman’, was arrested in Ikeja on Saturday, June 28, following a three-day raid.

The operation also led to the seizure of 681 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 414.2 kilograms from 24 jumbo bags, along with the arrest of three accomplices.

Babafemi further disclosed that in another raid, an entire family was arrested in Lagos for drug-related offenses. Those apprehended include the father, Ajah Johnson; his wife, Rosemary; their daughters, Stella and Ngozi; as well as a family friend, Okoro Elijah.

“A businessman, Ajah Johnson Uchenna and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, along with their two daughters, Stella Uchenna and Ngozi Uchenna, as well as their family friend, Okoro Elijah, have been taken into custody after an investigation revealed they run a major illicit drug distribution network in Lagos.

“The couple was first arrested on Friday, June 13, by operatives of the Department of State Security in the Ojo area of the state and transferred to the NDLEA along with 277.5kg skunk.

“While they were still being investigated in custody, credible intelligence revealed that the family business was going on in his house. This led to a raid on their home and a packing store where 231kg of the same substance was recovered on Tuesday, July 1.

“Three persons arrested during the raid include their two daughters, Ngozi Uchenna and Blessing Uchenna, as well as their family friend, Okoro Elijah, who was running the family business in the absence of the couple.”

Babafemi also revealed that at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, a man identified as Aburemi Hysent was apprehended on July 2 with 7,660 tramadol pills hidden inside food items he was attempting to transport to Italy.

According to the agency, the suspect confessed that he was promised €800 for delivering the drugs.

NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted a frequent flyer, Aburemi Hysent, on Wednesday, July 2.

Known for transporting goods between Nigeria and Italy, Hysent was found with 7,660 tramadol pills (225mg and 200mg) hidden inside food items among other goods he was conveying to Italy. He admitted that he was promised €800 for successfully delivering the drug consignment.

Additionally, on July 4, airport operatives intercepted 52 counterfeit travellers’ cheques concealed within children’s books. Valued at 17.7 million Australian dollars and destined for Malaysia via Istanbul, the cheques were traced to a freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, who has since been handed over to the EFCC for further investigation.

Babafemi said, “In another interdiction operation at the Lagos airport, a total of 52 pieces of the travellers’ cheques concealed in children books, worth 17,700,000 Australian dollars, going to Malaysia through Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight were on Friday, July 4, intercepted by the NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the airport while a freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, has been arrested. The travellers’ cheques suspected to be counterfeit and the suspect will be transferred to the EFCC for further investigation.”

At the Seme border in Lagos on July 5, NDLEA operatives recovered 359 kilograms of skunk stored in the Baba-Pupa area.

On the same day, Babafemi reported the interception of 10,000 tramadol pills and 1.050 kilograms of Colorado along the Okene-Lokoja highway, with follow-up arrests carried out at Jabi Park in Abuja.

In Osun State, he added that multiple arrests were made between July 1 and 3 in Osogbo and Ile-Ife, where over 62,000 pills and ampoules of opioids were seized.

“A cannabis farm covering 9.67 hectares was also destroyed at Ikaka forest, Oke-Ila, with seven suspects arrested and over 24,000kg of skunk destroyed,” he added.

In Borno State, Babafemi stated that 167 kilograms of skunk were recovered in the Gamboru-Ngala area.

“Along the Zaria-Kano Road, 452kg of drugs were seized, with two suspects arrested. In Kaduna, 11,000 pills of tramadol were found on a 30-year-old man, while Sokoto officers arrested a 62-year-old suspect with 4,800 pills of the same drug.

“Kebbi command raided Bakin Kasuwa, Yauri, where 312kg of skunk and 10,000 diazepam tablets were recovered. In Taraba, two suspects were found with nearly 50,000 capsules of tramadol, “ the statement added.

In Edo State, Babafemi reported that a wanted suspect, Alaba Monday, was arrested in Ewere Forest with 115 kilograms of skunk.