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Major Blow To Drug Traffickers As NDLEA Uncovers 25kg Meth Hidden In Cereal Packs, Arrests US Basketball Player With 34kg Loud
Major Blow To Drug Traffickers As NDLEA Uncovers 25kg Meth Hidden In Cereal Packs, Arrests US Basketball Player With 34kg Loud
NDLEA intercepts 25.05kg of methamphetamine concealed in imported breakfast cereal packs from South Africa at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
A 56-year-old suspect, allegedly using a stolen identity, is arrested after spending 24 years in South Africa.
US professional basketball player Greene Da’monte Khiree, 28, is arrested after 33.95kg of Loud allegedly imported from Thailand is found in two abandoned bags.
NDLEA also uncovers an illegal firearms factory in Kaduna, recovering locally made guns, ammunition and weapons-manufacturing materials.
November 15, () – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded major breakthroughs in its anti-narcotics operations, intercepting two significant consignments of illicit drugs at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and arresting two suspects, including an American professional basketball player.
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The agency said the operations led to the seizure of 25.05 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in assorted breakfast cereal packs imported from South Africa and 33.95 kilogrammes of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, allegedly brought into Nigeria from Thailand.
In a statement issued on Sunday, November 15, the NDLEA said the seizures were part of a series of intelligence-led operations carried out across the country, which also resulted in the discovery of an illegal firearms manufacturing facility in Kaduna State.
Methamphetamine Concealed In Cereal Packs
According to the agency, operatives at the Lagos airport intercepted the 25.05kg consignment of methamphetamine hidden inside assorted breakfast cereal packs imported from South Africa.
A 56-year-old man, identified as Omokan Isaac Babatope, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
The NDLEA said investigations revealed that the suspect’s real name was Chinedu Onwude and that he had allegedly been using a stolen identity. He was reportedly apprehended after spending 24 years in South Africa.
During interrogation, Babatope allegedly disclosed that a South Africa-based individual, identified as Obiora Okoye, contracted him to deliver the consignment in Nigeria for a payment of R20,000.
The agency said investigations were ongoing to identify and apprehend other persons connected with the shipment.
US Basketball Player Arrested With 34kg Loud
In a separate operation at the same airport, NDLEA operatives arrested an American professional basketball player, Greene Da’monte Khiree, 28, after allegedly discovering 33.95kg of Loud in two bags linked to him.
The suspect reportedly arrived in Nigeria from Thailand through Dubai but allegedly abandoned the two checked-in bags at the airport.
According to the NDLEA, a tracking device was found in connection with the luggage, while forensic examination of the suspect’s mobile phone allegedly provided evidence of his knowledge of and involvement in the consignment.
The agency said the seizure formed part of its efforts to disrupt the use of international travel routes for the movement of illicit drugs into Nigeria.
Illegal Gun Factory Uncovered In Kaduna
Beyond the airport interceptions, the NDLEA said its operatives uncovered an illegal firearms manufacturing facility in Kaduna State, arresting a suspect identified as Sagiru Musa.
Items recovered from the facility included 17 locally made Dane guns, two pistols, 25 gun pipes and various materials allegedly used for manufacturing firearms.
In another operation, operatives intercepted 196 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and recovered N675,000 from a 31-year-old suspect, Tabara Dauda.
The agency said the operations were part of its wider efforts to tackle drug trafficking and related criminal activities across the country.
Nationwide Drug Interceptions, Arrests
The NDLEA also reported additional arrests and drug seizures in Lagos, Kaduna, Ondo, Delta, Edo and Osun states.
The operations led to the recovery of hundreds of kilogrammes of cannabis and various other illicit substances, as operatives intensified surveillance, intelligence gathering and enforcement activities across the states.
The agency said the seizures and arrests reflected its sustained efforts to dismantle drug distribution networks and prevent illicit substances from reaching communities.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), urged them to sustain the momentum in the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse.
Marwa also called for continued commitment to both drug supply reduction and demand reduction, stressing the importance of maintaining pressure on traffickers while strengthening efforts to prevent drug abuse.
