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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested an Ibadan-based businesswoman Adewunmi Dorcas and an auto parts dealer, Arinze Ora, over attempts to export consignments of opioids and cocaine to London, United Kingdom, and Congo Brazzaville, respectively.
The NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, had on Friday, September 6, 2024, intercepted a cargo going to the UK.
According to a statement on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, a thorough search of the consignment revealed that 924 bottles of codeine-based syrup weighing 135.70kg and 5,250 tablets of Rohypnol were hidden in cartons of foodstuffs.
The statement said, “The freight agent, Owojori Sunday, who presented the cargo for export, was promptly arrested. Further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect, Adewunmi Temitope, who claimed that his mother, 58-year-old Mrs. Adewunmi Dorcas sent the consignment to him from Ibadan to deliver to the agent.
"A follow-up operation on Saturday, September 7, led to the arrest of Mrs Adewunmi in Ibadan, where she deals in foodstuffs and cargo exports.
“In his statement, the agent, Owojori, confessed that he had been working for Mrs Adewunmi to export cargoes to the UK, adding that he was paid N2,411,000.00 for the job, while he was paid N2.1million for a similar consignment handled for the businesswoman earlier."
Babafemi also said the NDLEA operatives at the same export shed of the Lagos airport on September 11 intercepted some cartons of auto spare parts and Checker powder custard going to Congo Brazzaville on Ethiopian Airlines.
He added that a diligent search of the cargo led to the discovery of 300 grams of cocaine concealed in the containers of Checker powder custard packed together with some auto parts.
"Arinze Ora, who deals in auto parts at Shop 12, Block 7 Aspanda Trade Fair Auto Parts Wing, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos, was arrested as the sender of the consignment in a follow-up operation," Babafemi said.
Additionally, Babafemi said operatives arrested two brothers, Ikechukwu Ikeabba and Ugochukwu Ikeabba, who were sponsors of drug traffickers who specialised in exporting drugs by ingestion to Vietnam on September 10.
"Ibeanusi Solomon Nosike, who excreted 68 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.282 kilogrammes after 12 days of excretion observation, was arrested at the local wing of the Lagos airport by the NDLEA operatives while attempting to board the first flight out of Lagos to Abuja where he was scheduled to join a Qatar Airways flight to Vietnam," Babafemi said.
He also said the brothers were linked to another Vietnam-bound businessman, 54-year-old Paul Mbadugha, who was arrested by the NDLEA operatives at the Abuja airport on August 12, 2024, during the outward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR 1432 to Hanoi, Vietnam via Doha after he tested positive for ingestion of cocaine.
"At the time of the arrest of the two kingpins, the Ikeabba brothers, they were caught with 87 wraps of cocaine dummies used in training intending swallowers," Babafemi added.
