Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a consignment of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, en route to the United Kingdom at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. This was contained in a statement by the Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi stated that the consignment was concealed in a duvet and packaged for export through the cargo shed of the Lagos airport. He added that two suspects linked to the attempt to export the consignment to the UK were promptly arrested following the discovery by NDLEA officers on Tuesday, January 21.
“Six parcels of the psychoactive substance, weighing a total of 3.50 kilograms, were concealed inside the duvet.”
In his statement, Austin Balogun, the main agent who hired Adakole, claimed he was paid N700,000 to transport the consignment to the UK. “He said he spent a fraction of the money on export handling charges and the bulk to pay for an apartment,” Babafemi said.
Babafemi also announced that two additional suspects were arrested at Igbo Olumo, Ikorodu, Lagos, when NDLEA operatives raided their hideout in the community. He said seven litres of Skuchies, a new psychoactive substance made from black currant, cannabis, and opioids, were recovered.
“Other exhibits seized from the duo include three locally made double-barrel rifles, one locally made double-barrel pistol, one English-made pistol, one locally made single-barrel rifle, three cartridges, one empty 9mm cartridge, and an iron-headed axe.”
Additionally, another raid in Lagos on Sunday, January 19, led to the seizure of 47kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis, and 25.46kg of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, at the notorious Akala area of Mushin. In Ekiti, a 26-year-old suspect, Adepoju Taiwo, was arrested by NDLEA officers on Thursday, January 23, with 1.95kg of Canadian Loud at Iworoko Road, Ilokun, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Babafemi stated that another suspect was apprehended by operatives on Monday, January 20, at Bode Saadu in the Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State. “A total of 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg, weighing 36.56kg, were recovered from him.”
A Nigerien, Abubakar Lami, 45, along with two others—Abba Sani, 35, and Auwal Aliyu, 32—were arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano. “13.1kg of skunk and 125 litres of ‘suck and die,’ a new psychoactive substance, were recovered from them.”
According to Babafemi, in another operation at Gefen Kasa, Dawakin Kudu Council Area of Kano State, a cannabis plantation was located and destroyed by a team of NDLEA officers. He added that NDLEA operatives arrested a suspect linked to the farm.
