NDLEA intercepts N1.1bn traveller’s cheques, cocaine at Lagos airport
‘Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
Daily Courier – The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have intercepted traveller’s cheques in different foreign currencies with a total value of N1,157, 670,469.92 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.
The operatives also arrested a suspect, Oguma Richard Uchenna in connection to the attempt to export the cheques, which were neatly concealed inside four bound hard cover books disguised as academic project literatures, to the United Kingdom.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the financial instruments, suspected to be counterfeits were discovered on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at NAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport during cargo examination of some consignments meant for exportation to the UK on a cargo flight.
A breakdown of the cheques shows they have monetary values of $287,623.31; $1,456,300 Canadian dollar and 1,297,800 Euros.
Also, operatives of NDLEA at the airport foiled an attempt by drug traffickers to smuggle into Nigeria 10.89kilograms of cocaine through a Qatar Airways flight.
Babafemi said the illicit drug was hidden in seven children duvets packed in an unaccompanied bag from Brazil.
Meanwhile, raid operations in Kaduna, Ondo and Akwa Ibom States have led to the seizure of about 2,000kg of Tramadol, Codeine, Cannabis and Heroin.
In Ondo state, 401kg of cannabis was recovered and two suspects: Julius Dapo, 56 and Emeka Ikebuaku, 32, were arrested at Ipele forest in Owo area on Sunday, April 24.
On same day, a transborder drug trafficker, Chigbo Chinonye, 42, was arrested with amphetamine weighing 2.5kg and heroin weighing 0.5kg during stop and search operation conducted along Oron-Ibaka road on his way to Cameroon. He concealed the drugs using false bottom packaging.
In Kaduna, a total of 47 cartons of suspected fake Tramadol, comprising 2,350,000 tablets, weighing 1222kg were seized in Zaria on Monday, April 25 while a dealer, Chinedu Asogwa was arrested the following day April 26 along Abuja-Kaduna express road, with 2919 bottles of cough syrup with codeine, measuring 291.9litres and a gross weight of 396kg.
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