The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made a significant interception at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos State, seizing the largest heroin consignment to date. This operation led to the apprehension of members of an organized criminal syndicate involved in trafficking heroin across various countries, including Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe, and America. The consignment, weighing 51.90 kilograms, was intercepted on February 12, 2024, as announced by Buba Marwa, the Chairman of the NDLEA, during a press briefing in Lagos.
Marwa highlighted that this seizure marked the single largest confiscation of heroin at the airport. The illicit substance was cleverly concealed within 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines, demonstrating the sophisticated tactics employed by drug traffickers to evade detection.
Moreover, Marwa drew a parallel between this recent interception and the historic seizure of 2,139.5 kilograms of cocaine on September 18, 2022, in a warehouse in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State. He described the 2022 cocaine seizure as the largest singular confiscation of cocaine in NDLEA’s history. In a subsequent operation, NDLEA operatives arrested four members of the cartel believed to be connected to the recent heroin seizure, further dismantling the network responsible for the trafficking activities.
The NDLEA continues to intensify its efforts to combat drug trafficking and related criminal activities, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and international partners in addressing the scourge of illicit drug trade.
He said: “NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Command intercepted a suspicious package at the SAHCO Import Shed of the airport’s Cargo Terminal. The consignment was concealed in 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines. Each carton was stocked with three blocks of high-grade heroin. In total, we recovered 45 blocks of the illicit substance with a total weight of 49.70kg.”
“After the discovery, we were methodical and meticulous in our investigations. We started with the arrest of the freight agent whose name is Olowolagba Wasiu Babatunde. It turned out that he was hired for clearing services by Mattpee Logistics, a company operated by one Mr. Kola resident in South Africa.”