The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted and seized consignments of heroin and khat worth over N10 billion.
Khat is a flowering plant and used as a stimulant drug. It is native to East Hararghe Zone and West Hararghe Zone of Ethiopia.
It contains the alkaloid cathinone, a stimulant, which is said to cause excitement, loss of appetite, and euphoria.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classified it in 1980 as a drug of abuse that can produce psychological dependence, although the WHO does not consider khat addiction to be a serious problem.
Spokesman for the agency, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja that the seizures were made at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Lagos and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, respectively.
He said during cargo examination at Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) import shed at the Lagos Airport, a freight agent had presented a cargo from South Africa.
This, he said, was with an Ethiopian Airline flight ET 3901 and an Airway Bill no: 071-40689003, for examination by NDLEA operatives attached to the beat.
“The officers subsequently conducted a search of the cargo, during which a suspected brownish substance was discovered concealed inside a red bag popularly called Ghana-must-go.
“During a preliminary interview of the suspect, it was gathered that another freight agent sub-contracted the clearing job to him.
“Eventually, six suspects have so far been arrested in follow up operations, while the substance had tested positive to heroin, with a total weight of 24.05kg.
“Another consignment in the consolidated cargo also proved to be methamphetamine with a weight of 1.25kg, bringing the total weight of illicit drugs seized in the cargo to 25. 3kg.
“Although the cargo arrived at the airport in the evening of 16th April, properly searched the following day, 17th, follow up operations leading to a number of arrests lasted till this weekend,” he said.
Babafemi quoted the NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Ahmadu Garba, as saying that the heroin and methamphetamine consignments were tagged under different names to deceive the officers, who were vigilant in uncovering them.
In a similar development, the MAKIA command of the NDLEA also intercepted and seized a consignment at its cargo shed, meant for export to Manchester, United Kingdom.
Babafemi said a sample of the suspected substance in the consignment was sent for laboratory analysis and the result came out positive for khat, weighing 36kg.
“This brings the total weight of illicit drugs seized at the two international airports to 61.3kg,” he said.
Babafemi quoted the agency’s acting commander at MAKIA, Mr. Mohammed Ajiya, as saying that further investigations were still ongoing to ascertain the true owners of the illegal consignment.
With NAN
