Consignments of Colorado were discovered by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in vehicles imported from Montreal, Canada, at the Tincan seaport in Apapa and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), in Ikeja, Lagos.
This was said in a statement made on Sunday in Abuja by Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA.
According to Babafemi, the drugs were smuggled into the country from South Africa in packs of cannabis juice and were intended for distribution before the Christmas holiday.
In a joint examination of cargo at the Tincan harbour, Lagos, he claimed that 185 packets of cannabis Indica, also known as Colorado and weighing 61.3kgs, had been confiscated.
Additionally, he stated that three used vehicle units were declared to be inside the container with the label MSCU5206726 from Montreal, Canada.
“But upon a 100% examination, it was found to contain two vehicles; a 2009 Toyota Corolla car and a 2009 Ford Econoline bus as well as used car engines, bicycles, shoes and other items including the drugs.
“Two dock workers: Abdulquadri Abdulazeez and Ogbuji Kenneth, are already in NDLEA custody in connection with the seizure following their initial arrest by the Port Security and the Police, “he said.
Meanwhile, Babafemi said that the search for consolidated cargo from South Africa led to the discovery of smuggled bottled Cannabis juice with a gross weight of 16.50kgs on Dec. 21.
He said that this occurred at the Lagos airport’s Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) import shed.
“Investigations by anti-narcotics officers subsequently led to the arrest of four freight agents: Soremekun Olalekan Wasiu; Olufisayo Dayo; Moruf Olusegun Bashir and Imole Moses Ajayi.
“The suspects’ statements eventually led to the arrest of the consignee, a wine shop business owner, Emebede Chuka, the following day, Dec. 22, “he said.
A plan to disguise large amounts of cannabis and MDMA pills in Bournvita beverage containers and attempt to ship them to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), was also foiled.
He claimed that this was accomplished through the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO), export shed on December 23, and that Iyanda Ogunleye Yaya, a vulcanizer assigned the task for a price of N4,000, was detained.
Two suspects, Nura Zakariya’u and Alkasim Abubakar, were detained with 161 blocks of marijuana along the Zaria-Kano route in Kwanar Dangora, Kano state, according to the NDLEA spokesman.
The narcotics, according to Babafemi, weighed 152 kg and included varying amounts of Exol and syrup with a codeine base.
He said that Amaechi Johnson, a suspect, was busted with 100,000 tramadol pills while travelling from Imo to Onitsha, Anambra state.
“Similarly, a total of 708 kg of cannabis were recovered by operatives from a bus at Ehinogbe, Owo area of Ondo state on Dec. 20, “he said.
