The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), said it has intercepted a large consignment of Loud, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis, concealed in giant loudspeakers tucked in a consolidated cargo imported from New York, United States of America.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said when the giant wooden boxes dressed as sound speakers seized by NDLEA officers at the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport, were opened, the sound boxes were stuffed with 60 bags of the expensive and highly sought-after psychoactive substance, Loud, weighing 33.5 kilograms.
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The NDLEA also said three suspects—a freight agent, Akeem Afeez; logistics company manager, Babalola Ayodeji Gboyega; and the receiver of the consignment, Taiwo Olusegun Anuoluwapo—were arrested in follow-up operations between Thursday, February 15th, and Friday, February 16th, 2024.
“While Afeez was arrested at the airport, Gboyega was nabbed at his office on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, and Taiwo was traced to his residence at 13 Ayo Babatunde Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, where he was picked on Friday,” the NDLEA stated.
Also, the NDLEA said in Abia, a joint raid operation between the NDLEA and men of the State Homeland Security at 23 Arochukwu Street, Umuahia, around 11pm on Wednesday, February 14, led to the arrest of a female lawyer, Adaobi Nweke, 36; her boyfriend, Emeka Nkemefola, 36; her mother, Mrs. Ngozi Nweke, 65; Dike Okpara, 43, who is the herbalist to the family; Chukwudi Abel, 33, a member of the family; Amarachi Paul, 18, another member of the family; and their 22-year-old salesgirl, Blessing Jonathan.
Investigations reveal that members of the family had long been in the illicit drug business passed on to them by their now-dead father, Jonathan Nweke. Recovered from them as of the time of their arrest include various quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, loud, cannabis sativa, and precursor chemicals with a total weight of 1.670 kg, as well as a N578,400 monetary exhibit.
Meanwhile, an attempt by a 25-year-old Uber driver, Joshua Henry, to deliver a consignment of 26.2 grams of loud picked in Abuja to a customer in Keffi, Nasarawa State, on Monday, February 12, was thwarted by NDLEA operatives, who intercepted him.
In the same vein, 54-year-old Dada Adedara was arrested on February 14th in the Dan Bare area of Kano State with 468 blocks of cannabis weighing 246.4kg. The same day, operatives in Ogun State arrested the duo of Kafayat Junaid and Sakirat Osoanu with 13 kg of cannabis sativa.
In Kogi State, a suspect, Charles Chike, 45, was arrested by NDLEA operatives in a hotel in Lokoja on Friday, February 16th, with 290 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 116kg.
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