NDLEA seizes meth worth over N2bn hidden in auto parts shipment from Canada
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted over N2 billion worth of methamphetamine concealed in auto parts from Canada.
A statement on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said two consignments of methamphetamine weighing 83.301 kilograms were recovered from separate containers bearing vehicles parts coming from Canada.
He said the containers were headed to warehouses in the Ladipo automobile parts market in Mushin area of Lagos state.
Babafemi said one of the containers going to Ladipo market through the Sifax bonded terminal was examined on December 12 and 5.001kg of methamphetamine hidden in a bag wrapped in bed sheet that came in a Toyota Camry car, was recovered.
He said Isaac Onwumere, a businessman linked with the consignment, was promptly arrested.
“The other container bearing automobile spare parts checked on Friday 13th December was found to contain 1, 735 parcels of Loud packed in 44 jumbo bags with a total weight of 867.5kg and six plastic coolers containing 87 packs of methamphetamine weighing 78.3kg. At least, two businessmen: Nwanolue Emeka and Friday Ogbe have been arrested in connection with the seizure,” the statement reads.
“The two meth consignments have a combined weight of 83.301kg worth One Hundred and Twenty-Four Million Nine Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand Naira (124,951,000.00) while the 867.5kg Loud is worth Two Billion One Hundred and Sixty-Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N2,168,750,000.00) in street value.
“The seizures were made during a joint examination of the shipments with Customs and other port stakeholders. This followed months of intelligence processing and tracking of the consignments from their ports of loading in Canada to the landing port in Lagos by combined Special Operations Units in NDLEA and the Tincan Port Strategic Command of the Agency.
“The first container with 5.001kg meth came under the radar of NDLEA’s intelligence network on 4th October 2024 when the preparation for the shipment began in Toronto, Canada, monitored through 8th October when the shipment was received at the rail ramp, loaded on the rail and departed to Montreal, Canada where it arrived and was unloaded the following day 9th October.
“The second shipment containing 867.5kg Loud and 78.3kg methamphetamine followed the same route. It came under NDLEA’s intelligence tracking on 8th October 2024 when the consignments were delivered to the shipper in Toronto, Canada, loaded on the rail on 14th October and arrived Montreal the following day, 15th, after which they were loaded on a vessel to Europe on 20th October. 10th December.”
