Fresh efforts by drug cartels to export tramadol, ecstasy MDMA and cannabis to Milan, Italy and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State, have been foiled by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, who also seized 203,879 tablets of various pharmaceutical opioids and illicit substances in raids across Abia, Kaduna, Yobe and Kogi states.
At the Lagos airport, a female passenger, Odia Efe, was arrested on Monday, May 9, while trying to board a Royal Air Moroc flight from Lagos via Casablanca to Milan, Italy, with 1,000 tablets of tramadol 200mg concealed in food items.
Five days after, on Friday, May 13, a freight agent, Kareem Ibrahim, was arrested at the SAHCO cargo shed of the airport for attempting to export food items in which were hidden blocks of cannabis weighing 6.65kg and 24 grams of ecstasy drug, MDMA to Dubai in UAE.
Three trucks loaded with drugs coming from Lagos and Onitsha, Anambra, were intercepted in Aba, Abia State.
When properly searched in the presence of the owners on Wednesday, May 11, 67,100 tablets/capsules of tramadol and 12,650 ampules of pentazocine, morphine and dopamine were recovered.
On the same day, NDLEA operatives in Kaduna arrested a notorious drug dealer, Shehu Kabiru, aka Dan-Zaira, wanted by the Kastina command of the agency for jumping bail.
Among the items recovered from him included 45,000 tablets of diazepam, weighing 41.5kg; 50,000 tablets of exol, weighing 15.6kg; 1,500 tablets of rohypnol, weighing 700 grams; and 300 bottles of codeine, weighing 41.5kg.
Meanwhile, five members of a fake recruitment syndicate have been arrested in coordinated operations in Zamfara, Kebbi and Bauchi states.
The leader of the gang, Yakubu Sani, was first arrested in Gusau, Zamfara State. His gang reportedly issued fake NDLEA employment letters and identity cards to unsuspecting members of the public for the sum of N400,000 per person.
A follow-up operation in Zuru, Kebbi State, led to the arrest of another gang member, Ibrahim Isah, while three others, Dahiru Limanchi, Gambo Danladi and Umar Abubakar, were nabbed in Bauchi State.
Recovered from them were a fake NDLEA ID card, an NDLEA guarantor form, an INEC offer of appointment letter; Nigerian Customs Special Replacement Form and appointment letter, Nigeria Correctional Service Replacement Form, credentials of some applicants, receipts and passport photos, five SIM packs and one MTN SIM card.
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