Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted 44.45kg of Colorado, a potent strain of cannabis, in two consignments shipped from the United Kingdom, while several other drug seizures were recorded across the country.
The agency also uncovered consignments of Colorado concealed inside music speakers at motor parks in Lagos, as well as 1,700 diazepam tablets hidden in loaves of bread during a stop-and-search operation in Kano State.
The NDLEA said the seizures and arrests were recorded in Lagos, Kano, Delta, Plateau, Edo, Ondo, Kaduna and Bayelsa states during recent operations.
The agency disclosed the developments in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, operatives intercepted a UK-bound shipment containing 27 parcels of Colorado weighing 32.20kg.
A real estate agent, Abideen Jide Salami, was arrested on September 9 after allegedly arriving with a collection code sent by his brother in the UK to receive the luggage.
The agency said a separate investigation led to the arrest of 44-year-old Nurudeen Abiodun Kadiri, who was allegedly designated to receive another UK shipment containing 12.25kg of Colorado.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that his brother in Britain sent the consignment.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives also intercepted Colorado concealed in a music speaker at the Maza-Maza motor park.
The consignment was reportedly destined for Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, before onward movement to Liberia. Tour agent Ifeanyi Obed Augustine, 41, and Obasi Ugochukwu, 46, were arrested during a sting operation.
Another suspect, Ifeanyi Nwokolo Henry, was arrested at Iddo Park on September 11 while allegedly attempting to dispatch 2.1kg of Colorado to Kano.
In Delta State, operatives recovered pentazocine, codeine syrup, tramadol, diazepam, flunitrazepam and MDMA in separate operations in Ughelli and Asaba.
In Kano, the agency said 20-year-old Saidu Adamu was arrested in Sabon Gari with 785,000 pregabalin capsules weighing 669.425kg, while 28-year-old Habibu Sabitu was apprehended along the Zaria-Kano-Hadejia Road with 1,700 diazepam tablets concealed in bread.
The NDLEA further reported the destruction of 4,832.56kg of cannabis on farms in Edo State, while 186kg of skunk was recovered from the boot of a Toyota Avalon in Akure, Ondo State.
A 58-year-old man, Paul Ogbuwala, was arrested over the Ondo seizure and allegedly planned to transport the consignment to Jos.
Other operations resulted in the arrest of suspects with cannabis in Kaduna and Bayelsa, including four people found with 876kg of the substance in Yenagoa. In Plateau State, 51-year-old Chinedu Uzor was arrested with 157,100 tramadol capsules weighing 669.425kg.
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers involved in the operations and urged them to sustain efforts against drug trafficking.
He directed them to continue blocking channels used by drug traffickers through airports, seaports, land borders and areas where cannabis is cultivated.
