The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made multiple high-profile seizures and arrests in a sweeping nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, including the interception of cocaine concealed in lipsticks and property documents bound for the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.

Operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation attached to a logistics firm in Lagos discovered the consignments on Thursday, a statement by the anti-drug agency on Sunday indicated.

In  a statement made available to the column.ng by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, stated that a total of 420 grams of cocaine were hidden in 84 pieces of factory-fitted female lipsticks heading to the UK, while 280 grams of the drug were found inside a Certificate of Occupancy being sent to Saudi Arabia.

“A total of 420grams of cocaine factory fitted in 84 pieces of female lipsticks heading to the UK were seized, while 280 grams of the same Class A drug were uncovered in a property title document (Certificate of Occupancy) being sent to Saudi Arabia,” the statement partly read.

In a separate operation, he stated that a drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, alias ‘Warri Kinsman’, was arrested in Ikeja on Saturday, June 28, following a three-day raid.

Babafemi added that the operation led to the seizure of 681 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 414.2 kilograms from 24 jumbo bags, and the arrest of three accomplices.

He said in another operation, a family were arrested for drugs.

According to him, the father, Ajah Johnson; his wife, Rosemary; their daughters, Stella and Ngozi, and a family friend, Okoro Elijah, were arrested in Lagos.

“A businessman, Ajah Johnson Uchenna and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, along with their two daughters, Stella Uchenna and Ngozi Uchenna, as well as their family friend, Okoro Elijah, have been taken into custody after an investigation revealed they run a major illicit drug distribution network in Lagos. The couple was first arrested on Friday, June 13, by operatives of the Department of State Security in the Ojo area of the state and transferred to the NDLEA along with 277.5kg skunk.

“While they were still being investigated in custody, credible intelligence revealed that the family business was going on in his house. This led to a raid on their home and a packing store where 231kg of the same substance was recovered on Tuesday, July 1. Three persons arrested during the raid include their two daughters, Ngozi Uchenna and Blessing Uchenna, as well as their family friend, Okoro Elijah, who was running the family business in the absence of the couple.”

Babafemi equally said at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport that a man identified as Aburemi Hysent was caught on July 2 with 7,660 tramadol pills concealed in food items he was conveying to Italy.

He said the suspect confessed to being promised €800 for the delivery.

The NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, July 2, intercepted a frequent flyer, Aburemi Hysent, who specialises in conveying goods for customers from Nigeria to Italy and vice versa. He was found to have hidden 7,660 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg inside food items packed among other goods he was conveying to Italy. He claimed he was to be paid the sum of 800 euros upon successful delivery of the drug consignment in Italy.”

On July 4,  he said operatives at the airport also intercepted 52 counterfeit travellers’ cheques concealed in children’s books. The cheques, worth 17.7 million Australian dollars and headed to Malaysia via Istanbul, were traced to a freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, who has been handed over to the EFCC for further investigation.

Babafemi said, “In another interdiction operation at the Lagos airport, a total of 52 pieces of the travellers’ cheques concealed in children books, worth 17,700,000 Australian dollars, going to Malaysia through Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight were on Friday, July 4, intercepted by the NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the airport while a freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, has been arrested. The travellers’ cheques suspected to be counterfeit and the suspect will be transferred to the EFCC for further investigation.”

At the Seme border in Lagos on July 5, he said the NDLEA recovered 359kg of skunk stored in the Baba-Pupa area.

The same day, Babafemi said 10,000 tramadol pills and 1.050kg of Colorado were intercepted along the Okene-Lokoja highway. Follow-up arrests were made at Jabi Park, Abuja.

In Osun State, he said several arrests were made between July 1 and 3 in Osogbo and Ile-Ife. where over 62,000 pills and ampoules of opioids were seized.

“A cannabis farm covering 9.67 hectares was also destroyed at Ikaka forest, Oke-Ila, with seven suspects arrested and over 24,000kg of skunk destroyed,” he added.

In Borno State, he said 167kg of skunk was recovered at Gamboru-Ngala.

“Along the Zaria-Kano Road, 452kg of drugs were seized, with two suspects arrested. In Kaduna, 11,000 pills of tramadol were found on a 30-year-old man, while Sokoto officers arrested a 62-year-old suspect with 4,800 pills of the same drug.

“Kebbi command raided Bakin Kasuwa, Yauri, where 312kg of skunk and 10,000 diazepam tablets were recovered. In Taraba, two suspects were found with nearly 50,000 capsules of tramadol, “ the statement added.

In Edo State, Babafemi said a wanted suspect, Alaba Monday, was arrested in Ewere forest with 115kg of skunk.

“Three others were arrested on a 2-hectare cannabis farm. In Cross River, a 78-year-old man and others were arrested in Obubra LGA with various quantities of skunk and tramadol,” he added.