The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NDLEA

  • NDLEA discovers methamphetamine in female artificial hair

    NDLEA discovers methamphetamine in female artificial hair

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has discovered three kilogrammes of substances that tested positive for methamphetamine inside female hair attachments.

    Anti-narcotic officials detected the drugs at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) cargo section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

    The drug was meant for export to South Africa.

    The NDLEA’s airport commander, Mr. Hamza Umar, said that the agency apprehended a 37- year-old freight forwarder in connection with the illicit shipment.

    Umar added that the discovery was barely few days after a suspected drug trafficking syndicate abandoned five kilogrammes of heroin hidden inside a shipment of praying rugs from Pakistan.

    The suspect, Mark Udegbulun, told narcotic investigators: “I personally received the shipment from my friend and customer at Yaba, Lagos.

    “He paid me to send the bag to South Africa as unaccompanied cargo. Unfortunately, while the officers were searching the bag, the drug was found inside nine of the packs of hair attachment,” the Nnewi-born Udegbulun stated.

    He is married and has two children.

    The suspect will be charged to court soon.

  • Drugs found in female hair attachment

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has discovered three kilogrammes of substances that tested positive for methamphetamine inside female hair attachment.
    Anti-narcotic officials detected the drugs at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) cargo section of the Murtalla Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos. The drug was meant for export to South Africa.
    NDLEA Airport commander, Mr. Hamza Umar said that the Agency apprehended a thirty-seven (37) year-old freight forwarder in connection with the illicit shipment. In his words, “we have arrested a 37 year-old forwarding agent by name; Mark Udegbulun who brought a consignment of female artificial hair for shipment to South Africa. During examination of the bag, nine (9) of the packs were found to contain parcels of substance that tested positive for methamphetamine hidden inside the artificial hair. He is currently being investigated”.
    The Airport commander added that the discovery was made barely few days after a suspected drug trafficking syndicate abandoned five kilogrammes of heroin which was hidden inside a shipment of praying rugs from Pakistan.
    During interrogation, the suspect, Mark Udegbulun told narcotic investigators that he collected the bag containing the drug at Yaba area of Lagos from his friend who is also his good customer. According to Mark, “I personally received the shipment from my friend and customer at Yaba, Lagos. He paid me to send the bag to South Africa as unaccompanied cargo. Unfortunately, while the officers were searching the bag, the drug was found inside nine of the packs of hair attachment”.
    Mark hails from Nnewi in Anambra State. He is married with two children.
    Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade assured members of the public that the Agency will continue to discover hidden drugs and prosecute offenders under the Agency’s Act.
    “Each time we discover drugs, officers are happy because it is a reward for hard work. We shall continue to discover hidden drugs and charge drug traffickers to court” he assured. The NDLEA chairman also called for more public support in the campaign to eradicate illicit drugs in the country.
    The suspect will be charged to court soon.
  • NDLEA arrests man with 107 ATM cards

    NDLEA arrests man with 107 ATM cards

    Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted one hundred and seven (107) Citi Bank credit cards.

    The automated teller machine cards were detected inside a luggage during the outward screening of Turkish Airline passengers to Istanbul, Turkey at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

    A 36- year-old man with dual identity has been apprehended in connection with the discovered cards.

    NDLEA’s Airport commander, Hamza Umar, said that the suspect had two international passports bearing his photographs but with different names.

    “He had a Nigerian passport with the name Funsho Oladimeji Babatunde and a Turkish passport with the name Kosar Kursat both bearing his photographs.

    “The cards found in his luggage are 68 Citi Interswitch Master Cards and 39 Citi Interswitch Visa cards,” Hamza stated.

    The suspect, who is a native of Iwo town in Kwara State, lives in Surulere Lagos.

    The Ordinary National Diploma (OND) graduate of the Kwara State Polytechnic told investigators that he was taking the cards to a friend in Turkey.

    “My friend in Turkey called me that I should help in sending the cards to him in Istanbul, Turkey.

    “When I collected the cards in Lagos, I kept them in my bag but during search, the officer saw the cards and took me for interrogation. I am an OND graduate of Economics at the Kwara State Polytechnic,” he explained.

    Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, directed that the suspect be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

    He said: “Preliminary investigation suggests that the suspect had unlawful possession of 107 credit cards.

    “The financial instruments are believed to be used for fraudulent purposes since he is not an authorised agent.”

  • Ndlea arrests man smuggling 22.490kg of cannabis to China

    Ndlea arrests man smuggling 22.490kg of cannabis to China

    A thirty-two (32) year old cell phone dealer at Computer Village, Lagos has been nabbed with 22.490kg of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis. The suspect, Okafor Obinna Michael was arrested while attempting to board an Emirate flight to China at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA). The drug was disguised as food ingredients labelled African Food Source.

    NDLEA Airport commander, Mr Hamza Umar said that the seized cannabis was concealed in foodstuff and spices. “A business man by name Okafor Obinna Michael was found with 22.490kg of cannabis hidden inside foodstuff and cooking spices. The cannabis packed with crayfish, pepper and food ingredients was detected by officers during search operations” Hamzar stated.

    The suspect in his statement said that he was tempted to smuggle drugs in search of basic traveling allowance. “My intention was to seek greener pastures in China. After buying my ticket, I had no more money on me. It was in the process of trying to get some money that made me to smuggle drugs. I was given the bag at the airport by a man promised to pay me 1,000 dollars. He gave me 500 dollars I was to collect another 500 dollars when I deliver the bag in China” Okafor Obinna Michael told investigators. He hails from Aguata Local Government Area in Anambra State.

    Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade called on members of the public not to travel out of the country without having enough money to take care of their basic needs. “It is very risky to embark on a journey outside your country without having basic travel allowance. Such persons are exposed to temptations and vulnerable to crime in other to survive. People should look inwards to discover the economic opportunities that abound in our country” Giade urged.

    The suspect will soon be charged to court.

  • US pledges to assist Nigeria in anti-terrorism

    US pledges to assist Nigeria in anti-terrorism

    The United States government has promised to support Nigeria in its fight against narcotics, money laundering, terrorism and other transnational crimes.

    U.S. Ambassador James Entwistle spoke in Ikoyi, Lagos, at the national headquarters of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    Entwistle, his wife, Pamela; the U.S Consul General Jeffery Hawkins and other embassy officials were received by NDLEA’s Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Ahmadu Giade.

    The envoy said he embarked on the visit because crime control was a priority.

    He said: “This is my first official visit, after presenting my letter of credence to President Goodluck Jonathan. I am delighted to be here because of the need for partnership against transnational crimes, such as drug trafficking, money laundering and terrorism.

    “Our attitude is to share experience and provide military assistance through training on drug control and counter-terrorism.”

    Giade thanked Entwistle for the U.S support in the fight against narcotics.

    He said: “Our partnership with the U.S has broadened our frontiers of drug control.

    “The impressive operational results recorded from training, sponsored by your government as well as the donation of drug detection equipment, has made our entry and exit points more impregnable to drug trafficking cartels.”

    The NDLEA chief promised to deepen the working relationship with the U.S.

  • NDLEA nabs student for importing hemp

    NDLEA nabs student for importing hemp

    •I bought it with my tuition, says suspect

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a twenty year-old undergraduate at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos for importing 1.745 kilogrammes of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis popularly known as hemp.

    The suspect, Udiomeh Kufre Ita, was found in possession of the drug during the inward screening of passengers on an Africa World Airlines flight from Accra Ghana at the weekend.

    NDLEA Lagos Airport commander, Hamza Umar, said that the drug was detected during routine screening of passengers.

    He said: “The drug was hidden inside his bag containing personal effects. He was immediately arrested and the case is under investigation.”

    The suspect, who reportedly gained admission into the Faculty of Management Sciences at the Regent University, is currently assisting narcotic investigators assigned to the case.

    In his confessional statement, Ita said that he used his tuition fees to purchase the drug found on him.

    According to him: “I spent my school fees on cell phone, smoking hemp and attending night clubs. I bought a cell phone for N107,000 and spent my school fees recklessly.

    “I thought I could make enough profit from the sale of cannabis to offset the deficit in my tuition. I bought each parcel of hemp for 220 Ghana cedi.

    “I did not know what came over me and I am afraid to go to my parents. My father is a retiree.”

  • Spare parts dealer hides heroin in stomach

    Spare parts dealer hides heroin in stomach

    •Syndicate abandons drug at airport

    A 38-year-old auto spares’ dealer, Ohagwu Ernest Ifeanyi, who attempted boarding a Qatar Airline Flight to China with 735 grammes of substance suspected to be heroin hidden in his stomach, has been arrested. The drug, weighing 10.005 kilogrammes, is valued at over N80 million.

    A suspected drug syndicate also abandoned 9.27 kilogrammes of heroin brought in from Pakistan at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) discovered the drug inside an abandoned luggage on the conveyor belt during the inward screening of passengers on an Emirate Flight.

    NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport Mr Hamza Umar described the seizure is a good way to start the year, considering the value of the drug.

    “The heroin seizures comprising 9.270kg imported from Pakistan and 735 grammes ingested by one Ohagwu Earnest Ifeanyi weighed 10.005 kilogrammes. The suspect was arrested following a positive test for drug ingestion,” Hamza stated.

    Ifeanyi, who hails from Enugu State, said: “I sell auto spares at Onitsha where I live with my wife and two children. My involvement in drugs was to enable me recover the N2 million loss I incurred in my business. A friend of mine who is based in China introduced me to drug trafficking. They were to pay me 2,500 dollars. They gave me the heroin to swallow in a hotel room in Lagos, but I was arrested at the airport.”

    Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, said: “Drug cartels only abandon their highly valued drugs when it becomes impossible to beat security checks. This seizure clearly underscores the agency’s steady progress in counter-narcotics operations.”

    “Besides taking the seized drug out of circulation, we have also prevented the suspect from facing possible death penalty in China for drug trafficking. The agency will leave no stone unturned in the fight against drug barons,” Giade added.

  • Drug syndicate abandons heroin at Lagos airport

    …NDLEA arrests auto parts dealer

    A suspected drug syndicate has abandoned 9.270kg of heroin originating from Pakistan at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency discovered the drug inside an abandoned luggage on the conveyor belt during inward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight.

    Meanwhile, a 38 -year old auto parts dealer, Ohagwu Earnest Ifeanyi who attempted boarding a Qatar airline flight to China with 735 grammes of heroin hidden in his stomach has been arrested.

    The heroin weighing 10.005kg is valued at over 80 million naira.

    According to the NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, the seizure is a good way to start the year.

    “This is a good start for us considering the value of the drug,”

    The heroin seizures comprising 9.270kg imported from Pakistan and 735 grammes ingested by one Ohagwu Earnest Ifeanyi weighed 10.005kg. The suspect was arrested following a positive test for drug ingestion,” Hamza stated.

    Ifeanyi, who hails from Enugu State, said he smuggled drugs to recover from the loss of two million naira.

    He said, “I sell auto parts at Onitsha where I live with my wife and two children. My involvement in drugs was to enable me recover from the two million naira loss I incurred in my business.”

     

  • Yes, I deal in narcotics, man tells court

    A 25-year-old man, Kunle Adetoso, yesterday pleaded guilty to dealing in banned narcotic during his arraignment at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) charged him with a one-count offence of dealing in 320 grammes of cannabis sativa, a banned substance with similar effects as heroine and cocaine.

    The prosecutor, Orji Kalu, said Adetoso committed the offence on September 23 last year in the Agbado Oja, Ifako Area of Lagos.

    The offence, he said, contravenes Section 11 (C) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation 2004.

    Justice Okon Abang ordered that Adetoso be remanded in prison custody after he pleaded guilty. He adjourned till March 13 “for a summary review of the facts of the case.”

    Kunle Adetoso

     

  • NDLEA finds 9.2kg drug in palm oil

    NDLEA finds 9.2kg drug in palm oil

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has aborted a plot to export 9.2 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed inside palm oil to South Africa.

    The discovery was made during the screening of cargoes on a South African Airline flight at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

    A taxi driver, who brought the consignment, was arrested by the anti-narcotic officials.

    NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr Hamza Umar, said: “A taxi driver, Okwuokei Peter, has been arrested for attempting to export 9.2kilogrammes of methamphetamine to South Africa. The drug was packed in 41 parcels and hidden inside a gallon containing palm oil,” Umar stated.

    The suspect, in his statement, said: “I thought I was doing one of my passengers a favour; little did I know that it would land me in a big trouble. He called me and asked me to collect a gallon of palm oil from somebody. When I got to an estate junction as directed by him, a young man walked up to me and asked if I was Peter; I said ‘yes.’ Then, he gave me the gallon of sealed palm oil. At the airport, it was found to contain drugs during search. In fact, I am speechless, confused and frustrated.”

    Peter, who hails from Delta State, lives in Lagos with his wife and four children.

    Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade urged the public to shun drug trafficking.

    “Ignorance is not an excuse under the Act. If you are not sure that consignment is drug-free, then do not take it for export; otherwise you are liable. People must be cautious,” Giade stated.

    He added: “Section 11, sub-section ‘B’ of the NDLEA Act states that anybody who, without lawful authority export, transports or otherwise traffic the drug popularly known as cocaine, LSD heroine or any other similar drugs, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to life imprisonment.