Lagos, Nigeria — Nigerian anti-narcotics agents have intercepted multiple international consignments of illicit drugs cleverly concealed in everyday objects, including frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and female clothing, bound for the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) confirmed the seizures, made primarily at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and courier companies in Lagos. Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the trafficking attempts, according to a statement released on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.
International Trafficking Methods
The seizures highlight the increasingly sophisticated methods used by drug syndicates:
- Frozen Snails: A 48-year-old UK-based public health assistant, Olawale Hakeemot, was arrested on October 12 at the MMIA while attempting to board a flight to Manchester, UK. She was found with 2,300 pills of Tramadol 225mg hidden inside frozen snails.
- Electrical Bulbs: Cargo agent Boladale Riliwan was arrested on October 7 after presenting a carton containing 15 parcels of skunk (a strain of cannabis) concealed within 10 giant rechargeable electrical bulbs, intended for airfreight to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Female Clothes: An attempt to export 810 pills of Bromazepam hidden in female clothing was thwarted by NDLEA officers at a courier company on October 16, with the consignment destined for the United States.
Major Local and Interstate Interceptions
In addition to the international busts, the NDLEA detailed several major operations targeting local drug supply:
- Border Smuggling: In Adamawa State, a suspect named Bello Buba was intercepted at a checkpoint after allegedly driving all the way from the Benin Republic to smuggle 38,270 pills of Tramadol concealed within the spare tyre and door compartments of his Honda Civic.
- Codeine Syrup: A substantial haul of 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup was intercepted at the Apapa port during a joint examination of a container that had been watch-listed by the NDLEA as arriving from India.
- Cannabis Farm Destruction: Operatives destroyed over 70 hectares of cannabis farmland across two major operations in Southwest Nigeria: 21.3 hectares in Ilawe-Ekiti (Ekiti State) and 6.96 hectares in Aponmu forest reserve (Ondo State). Several suspects were arrested during these raids, and over 1,140 kilograms of already-processed cannabis were recovered.
- Oyo State Seizures: Four suspects were nabbed in Igboora, Oyo State, with 596kg of skunk, while two others were arrested in Igangan with an additional 273kg of the substance.
The agency continues to pursue its aggressive anti-narcotics strategy across the country.
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