NDLEA Intercept Illicit Drug Consignments Disguised As Baby Food, Cloths Going To US, UK
It was learnt that the drugs were concealed in tins of Cerelac baby food and cloths going to the United States and United Kingdom.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted multiple consignments of illicit drugs at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos State.
It was learnt that the drugs were concealed in tins of Cerelac baby food and cloths going to the United States and United Kingdom.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy in a statement on Sunday said a freight agent, Salaudeen Suliat Abiola, who presented the consignment for export to the UK was promptly arrested.
He stated a follow-up operation to Ibadan, Oyo state on Saturday, August 3, led to the arrest of the sender of the cargo, Bello Motunrayo Folu at her residence in Akobo. He added that the psychotropic substance has a total weight of 18.50kg.
The statement reads in part, “No less than 36 parcels of a strong strain of cannabis concealed in six cartons of tins of branded Nestle Cerelac baby food, with six containers in each package were recovered at the SAHCOL export shed of Lagos airport on Wednesday 31st July 2024.
“A freight agent, Salaudeen Suliat Abiola who presented the consignment for export to the UK was promptly arrested while a follow-up operation to Ibadan, Oyo state on Saturday 3rd August led to the arrest of the sender of the cargo, Bello Motunrayo Folu at her No. 20 Mofoluwasho Estate, Elewuro, Akobo area of the Oyo state capital.
“The Cerelac tins were all factory-sealed at the top while they tampered with the bottom through which they put the substances covered with loose quantities of the infant cereal meal to prevent discovery, an effort that ended in futility as vigilant NDLEA officers were able to foil the attempt.
“Similarly, in Edo state, twenty-two and a half bags of cannabis weighing 220kg were recovered from Egbeta community, Ovia North East area of Edo state on Tuesday 30th July while a suspect, Osayede Aghoma was arrested.”
“Another suspect, Ibrahim Abubakar, 55, was on Wednesday 31st July nabbed with 40 blocks of same substance weighing 19.200kg along Okene-Lokoja highway in a commercial bus coming from Lagos en route to Kano,” the statement added.
