The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of Colorado concealed in vehicles imported from Montreal, Canada at the Tincan seaport, Apapa and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
Spokesman for the agency, Mr. Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said the drugs, which were concealed in packs of cannabis juice and flown in from South Africa, were meant for distribution ahead of the Christmas festive season.
He said a consignment of 185 parcels of Cannabis Indica, popularly called Colorado weighing 61.3kgs, was also seized during a joint examination of a container at the Tincan seaport, Lagos.
He further said the container marked MSCU5206726 from Montreal, Canada, was declared as containing three units of used vehicles.
“But upon a 100 per cent 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 the search of consolidated cargo from South Africa led to the discovery of smuggled bottled cannabis juice with a gross weight of 16.50kgs on December 21.
That, he said, was at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) import shed of the Lagos airport.
“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.
Also, an attempt to export quantities of cannabis and ecstasy pills also known as MDMA concealed in beverage drinks, Bournvita containers to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) was stopped.
He said the illicit drugs were meant to be exported through the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) export shed on December 23.
Babafemi added that a vulcaniser identified as Iyanda Ogunleye Yaya who was given the assignment for a fee of N4, 000, had been arrested.
With NAN report
