A 60-year-old grandmother and a pregnant woman were among those arrested during interdiction operations in which 5,527.15 kilograms of methamphetamine and cannabis sativa, as well as 132,090 tablets of tramadol and 2,000 bottles of codeine were recovered by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), across five states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in the last one week.
The grandma, Mrs. Ibinosun Sandra Esther, was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo state, in a follow up operation following the seizure of 5.5kg loud variant of cannabis imported into the country from South Africa, according to a statement by the director, Media and Advocacy.
The consignment, which she claimed was sent to her by her daughter was concealed in two giant speakers as part of a consolidated cargo that arrived the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on board an Airpeace Airline flight.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives also Saturday, 26th November, intercepted 1.4 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside custard tins packed among cosmetics and foodstuffs going to Brazil via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.
A cargo agent, Salako Omolara Fausat, who brought the bag containing the illicit drug to the airport and an intending passenger to Brazil, Anyanwu Christian, who was to travel with the consignment were promptly arrested.
The Agency said, “Another attempt by a freight agent, Adebisi Aina Hafsat to export 3,000 tablets of tramadol concealed in motor spare parts to Banjul, Gambia, through the NAHCO export shed was equally thwarted by operatives who seized the consignment and arrested her on Monday 28th November, while a follow up operation to Ebute-Meta area of Lagos the following day, Tuesday, 29th November, led to the arrest of the actual owner, Afam Chibuke Stanley, who is a spare parts seller.”
This was followed by the seizure of 100,000 tablets of Royal brand of Tramadol 200mg with a gross weight of 68.90 kilograms imported from Karachi, Pakistan on Ethiopian Airlines at the SAHCO import shed.