NDLEA seizes Italy-bound drugs hidden in women’s wears at Lagos airport

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a passenger, Yahaya Danjuma Oturah, while attempting to export 4,000 pills of tramadol 225mg to Malpensa, Italy, on an Ethiopian Airline flight.

The NDLEA officers arrested Oturah at the gate C departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos State on Friday, April 26, 2024.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this via a statement issued on Sunday, April 28.

Babafemi noted that the psychoactive substance was found concealed in women’s wears and granulated melon packed in the suspect’s backpack and another bag containing food items.

He stated that Oturah, in his statement, confessed he was hired to courier the drug for 700 euros on the successful delivery of the consignment in Italy.

He added that the NDLEA operatives, on Wednesday, April 24, arrested 28-year-old Jennifer Iliya in the Amarata area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, for producing and distributing cakes laced with illicit drugs, especially cannabis sativa.

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The NDLEA spokesman said at the time of the suspect’s arrest, drugged cakes weighing 1.5kg were recovered from her.

Babafemi disclosed that a 20-year-old hair stylist, Josephine Odunu, and a 30-year-old dispatch rider, Edesemi Ikporo, were arrested by NDLEA operatives for a similar offence in Yenagoa on Sunday, March 10.

He noted that a couple, 53-year-old Fredrick Odion and 52-year-old Gladys Odion, were nabbed with 50kg cannabis at Iruekpen in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State by NDLEA officers on Wednesday, April 24.

The NDLEA spokesperson added that the various commands of the anti-drug agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign in the past week.

Babafemi listed the campaign to include WADA sensitisation lecture for students and staff of Federal Government College, Nise, Anambra State; Royal Institute of Health Technology, Ifo, Ogun State; Akpugo-Eze High School, Oji-River, Enugu State; Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Adamawa State; and Jubilee Secondary School, Ore, Ondo State; among others.

The Star