The agency says the suspect was arrested during the outward clearance of passengers on Air Marroc.
Operatives of the
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted illicit drugs
worth over N2 billion at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA),
Ikeja, Lagos.
The agency also
arrested three suspected traffickers in connection with drugs crime.
The Agency’s Director
of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, announced this in a statement on Monday
in Abuja.
The statement quoted
the Commander, NDLEA MMIA’s Special command, Ahmadu Garba, as saying that one
of the suspects (names withheld) was arrested on Sunday, March 28.
Mr Garba said the
suspect was arrested during the outward clearance of passengers on Air Marroc.
A 7.1 kg of
Methamphetamine carefully concealed in food spices and packed in a Swiss polo
suitcase was found in possession of the suspect.
According to the
statement, the illicit substance was bound for Spain with a street value of
over N2 billion.
“Unarguably, the
closure of borders occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for the surge
in the price of these drugs.
“For instance, the
price of meth in Australia had increased from $200 to $600 per gramme due to
supply cut, hence the desperation by the traffickers and barons alike,’’ Mr
Garba stated.
In a related
development, Mr Garba said the Command equally intercepted a suspect at Skyway
Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) export shed of the airport with 800 grammes
of Cannabis Sativa.
He said the operatives
also seized 19.950 kg of green leaves suspected to be khat, adding that the
cannabis, cleverly concealed in foodstuff, was bound for Dubai, UAE.
In a follow-up
operation, he said another suspect was also arrested in connection with the
seized 800 grammes of cannabis.
He said investigations
were ongoing with a view to establishing more leads and getting the owner of
the khat leaves arrested.
The statement also
quoted the Chair, NDLEA, Buba Marwa, as commending men and officers of the
command for the arrests and seizures.
Mr Marwa reiterated
the agency’s commitment to launching offensive action against the activities of
drug barons and traffickers wherever they are across Nigeria.
0 Comments