Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency intercepted a large consignment of loud, synthetic, strong strains of cannabis concealed in giant loudspeakers tucked in a consolidated cargo imported from New York, United States of America.
The NDLEA disclosed this in a press statement signed by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday.
The statement noted that when the giant wooden boxes dressed as sound speakers seized by NDLEA officers at the NAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport were opened, the sound boxes were discovered to have been stuffed with 60 bags of the expensive but highly sought-after psychoactive substance, loud, weighing 33.5Kg.
NDLEA seizes ‘loud’ hidden in sound boxes at Lagos airport
It said at least three suspects: a freight agent, Akeem Afeez; logistics company manager, Babalola Gboyega; and the receiver of the consignment, Taiwo Anuoluwapo, have been arrested in follow-up operations between Thursday, February 15, and Friday, February 16, 2024.
The statement read, “While Afeez was arrested at the airport, Gboyega was nabbed at his office on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, and Taiwo traced to his residence at 13 Ayo Babatunde Crescent, Lekki Phase1, Lagos, where he was picked on Friday.
“In Abia, a joint raid operation between the NDLEA and men of the State Homeland Security at 23, Arochukwu Street, Umuahia, around 11pm on Wednesday, February 14, led to the arrest of a female lawyer, Adaobi Nweke, 36; her boyfriend, Emeka Nkemefola, 36; her mother, Mrs. Ngozi Nweke, 65; Dike Okpara, 43, who is an herbalist to the family; Chukwudi Abel, 33, member of the family; Amarachi Paul, 18, another member of the family; and their 22-year-old salesgirl, Blessing Jonathan.
“Investigations reveal that members of the family had long been in the illicit drug business passed on to them by their now late father, Jonathan Nweke. Recovered from them as of the time of their arrest include various quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, Loud, cannabis sativa, and precursor chemicals with a total weight of 1.670kg as well as N578,400 monetary exhibit.”
