NDLEA arrests Indian businessman for smuggling 134,700 bottles of codeine to Nigeria
By Abimbola Abatta
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have detained an Indian businessman, Vyapak Nutal, for smuggling 134,700 bottles of Codeine syrup into the country through the land border between Nigeria and Niger Republic in Sokoto State.
NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday that the suspect, who settled in a hotel in Sokoto State, began to look for buyers for the controlled drug.
The suspect had loaded the consignment into trucks in Cotonou, Benin Republic, and drove through the land borders via Niger Republic before entering Sokoto State at the Illela border.
“While NDLEA operatives were on his trail, officers of the Department of State Security were able to apprehend him and swiftly handed him over to NDLEA on Wednesday 10th February 2022,” Babafemi said.
Attempts by drug traffickers to export large quantities of Heroin, Methamphetamine, Khat, Tramadol and Cannabis through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) as well as three courier companies in Lagos were frustrated by narcotic officers who intercepted the illicit consignments.
At the Lagos airport, operatives on Tuesday, February 8, arrested one Felix Rotimi Eshemokhai with 1.75kgs heroin while trying to board Royal Air Maroc to Casablanca, Morocco, while another trafficker, Okafor Emmanuel Onuzuruike, was also nabbed the same day during his attempt to travel on RwandAir to Dubai with 2.2kgs of Cannabis concealed in foodstuff.
In addition, not less than 25kgs of Methamphetamine, Tramadol, Cannabis and Khat concealed in motor parts, MP3 player, speaker and fabrics heading to USA, UK, Australia, Dubai and Madagascar were seized from three major courier companies in Lagos.
In Gombe state, 31,000 capsules of Tramadol were recovered from a truck that left Onitsha, Anambra State for Mubi, Adamawa State, and the owner, Ibrahim Tukur Bage, was arrested on Friday, February 11, while attempting to escape.
This followed the arrest of Aliu Salami, 43, with 143.9kgs cannabis at Oke-Ata, Abeokuta South LGA, Ogun State on Wednesday, February 9.
In the same vein, not even a bunch of talisman (charms) used by a trans-border drug dealer, Shu’aibu Salisu, could save him and his gang as their consignment of 578kgs of Cannabis meant for Niger Republic was intercepted in Kwara State on February 8 when two persons, Gambo Lawal and Ibrahim Mohammed, were arrested while conveying the drug to someone in Charanchi, Katsina State.
A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Salisu and two others, Sani Musa and Auwal Amina, the day after at different locations within Kaita LGA, Katsina.
In Benue State, a fake security agent, Mr. Dennis Emadiong, was arrested on Saturday, February 12, at NDLEA check point, Alaide, Benue, with 239g of cannabis and 10 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition while on his way from Akwa Ibom to Maiduguri, Borno State.
Another suspect, Stephen Folorunsho, was nabbed during a routine Stop and Search operation, along Apir-Makurdi road with 147 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 130kgs stuffed inside bales of used clothes popularly called Okrika on his way to Gombe State.
In Adamawa State, no fewer than 22,700 tablets of Tramadol and Exol-5 were seized in Numan area of the state from two drug dealers: Mmaduabuchibeya Kingsley and Onyeke Kenneth in separate raids on Thursday 10th February.
NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of Sokoto, Gombe, Ogun, Kwara, Adamawa, Benue, MMIA commands as well as those of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI, for their resilience in the various drug supply reduction efforts.
He charged them and their compatriots across other commands to remain on the offensive against the cartels.
He equally hailed the synergy and support from other security agencies.
