NDLEA seizes illegal drugs concealed in sanitary pads, others

Abdullateef Fowewe

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have seized consignments of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids hidden in ladies’ sanitary pads and hair treatment cream containers en route to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Cyprus at three courier firms in Lagos State.

The agency’s Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, also stated that NDLEA thwarted another consignment of tramadol 225mg that was buried in granulated melon that came from Cameroon and proceeding to South Africa on Friday, September 6.

He confirmed that nothing less than 30 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.1 kilograms were hidden in hair cream containers were recovered by the operatives of NDLEA during the examination of cargoes going to Ireland on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, in the logistics company.

The statement reads, “Consignments of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids concealed in ladies’ sanitary pads and hair treatment cream containers heading to the United Kingdom, Ireland and Cyprus have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at three courier firms in Lagos.

“In one of the logistics companies, not less than 30 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.1 kilograms were concealed in hair cream containers were recovered by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, during the examination of cargoes going to Ireland on Tuesday 3rd September 2024. Another consignment of 24 parcels of cocaine weighing 862 grams also hidden in hair cream containers meant for delivery in the UK was equally intercepted at the same company on Friday 6th September.

“In the same vein, a total of 525 pills of tramadol 225mg and ecstasy (MDMA) concealed in ladies’ sanitary pads going to Cyprus were seized at another courier firm in Lagos by NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 3rd September, while a shipment of 200 ampoules of promethazine injection and pentazocine injection hidden in food items and herbs heading to London, UK was also seized by operatives on Wednesday 4th September.

“Operatives equally intercepted another consignment of tramadol 225mg buried in granulated melon that came from Cameroon and going to South Africa on Friday 6th September.

No fewer than 550,000 pills of tramadol were also intercepted at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt on Monday 2nd September during a joint examination of a cargo that came from Delhi, India, with men of the Nigerian Customs Service while a suspect was already arrested in connection with the seizure.”