NDLEA busts N16.6bn drug haul in shoe soles, hair attachments bound for US, Europe
Drug hidden in shoe soles
Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted several consignments of drugs, including opioids concealed within shoe soles and hair attachments, en-route to the United States, United Kingdom, and Cyprus.
The seizures took place at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and in three Lagos-based courier firms.
NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday said a shipment containing 2,118 tramadol pills, hidden in 13 pairs of shoes destined for Cyprus, was seized at the Lagos airport’s export shed on October 12, 2024.
He said subsequent follow-up led to the arrest of Okenwa Kelvin Uchenna in Enugu on October 24, where an additional 380 tablets, N968,880 in cash, and a Toyota Avalon were confiscated.
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In a separate operation on October 24, NDLEA officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) confiscated 293 ampoules of promethazine and pentazocine injections, along with 1.69 kg of cannabis and tramadol tablets concealed in hair attachments and shoe soles intended for delivery to the US, UK, and Oman.
Furthermore, Babafemi disclosed that NDLEA operatives intercepted 26.25 million tramadol tablets and 508,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at approximately N16.68 billion.
He explained that the seizure took place during a thorough inspection of flagged containers with Customs officers at the Tincan Port in Lagos and Onne Port in Rivers State from October 22 to 23.
Among other items seized were 10 million Toradol Benzhexol tablets, 28 drums of methamphetamine weighing 700 kg, and 56 parcels of ‘Loud,’ a potent synthetic cannabis strain, which arrived in Lagos from Canada.
Tsolaye Eburajolo, 40, was arrested in connection with the cannabis haul, with a N10 million bribe offered to NDLEA officers withheld as evidence for prosecution.
