The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has intercepted two containers of Thai Loud cannabis at Apapa and Lekki ports, marking it the first time the Agency is seizing illicit drugs shipped directly from Thailand through Nigeria’s maritime corridor.
The containers, loaded at the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, had a combined street value of over N4.4 billion.
At Apapa Port, a joint examination by NDLEA, Customs and other agencies on Friday, 21 August, revealed 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud hidden in 54 cartons. The consignment was declared as dry fish, rice and vehicle spare parts.
At Lekki Deep Sea Port, a container placed on the Agency’s watchlist was examined on Wednesday, 19 August. Four of seven pallets contained 400kg of Thai Loud, while the remaining three held 798 rims of A4 paper used as cover.
In the maritime space, NDLEA operatives in Akwa Ibom on Friday, 21 August, intercepted a wooden boat conveying drugs to fishing settlements in Cameroon. Three suspects — Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29; Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, 33; and Kingsley Effiong John, 27 — were arrested with 42.622kg of skunk and cocaine concealed in cassava fufu.
In Abuja, 24,410 tramadol pills were intercepted, leading to the arrest of the owner in Kontagora, Niger State. Other arrests were made in Kwara, Oyo, Kano, Lagos and Abia with methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and tramadol recovered.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Marwa (rtd) said the string of arrests shows drug syndicates are exploring new routes, but the Agency remains ahead.
