Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have have confirmed the interception of 1,274 parcels of cocaine, other illicit drugs, and arms in Lagos State as it continues to ramp up efforts against drug crimes in the country.
This is according to a Sunday statement by NDLEA’s spokesman Femi Babafemi which was made available to Africa Today News, New York on Monday.
“Operatives of different special units of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted large consignments of Cocaine and Colorado, a strong strain of cannabis, concealed in containerized household items and vehicles imported from Durban, South Africa and Canada at the Tincan Seaport in Lagos,” he said.
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He noted that following intelligence and months of tracking the containers, the illicit drugs along with arms, ammunition, and sundry military effects were seized during a joint examination by NDLEA officers and their counterparts from Customs Service and other security agencies between Thursday 18th and Friday 19th January 2024.
“Some of the items recovered from the containers include 1, 274 parcels of Cocaine and Colorado with a total weight of 884.09 kilograms; four pistols; 197 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 49 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 275 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, 14 rounds of 9mm ammunition and sundry military personnel effects as well as some chemicals in kegs,” he added.
With the exception of a 32.5kg shipment of Colorado that came in used vehicles from Canada, the rest of the items were found in two of three containers that arrived at the Tincan port from Durban, South Africa onboard a vessel marked MSC RESILIENT III and discharged on new year eve, 31st December 2023. A suspect linked to one of the containers, UACU 5348336, bearing the 32.5kg Colorado, 41-year-old Akara Chibugo has already been tracked and arrested by NDLEA operatives.