ABUJA: The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said that it seized narcotic drugs valued at N3.7 billion at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
In a statement Wednesday, the agency said it received 183 Nigerians deported from Europe, America, and Asia on drug related offences.
Roli Bode-George, acting chairman, NDLEA, said the monetary value of the seized drugs underscored the threat posed by illicit drug production, trafficking and abuse.
”The agency is working very hard to seize drugs and financially incapacitate drug trafficking organisations,” said Mrs. Bode-George.
“Efforts will be intensified to drastically reduce drug trafficking through continuous arrest and prosecution as well as drug demand reduction programmes. We must continue to channel our resources towards a safe and healthy society.”
The 183 deportees included 176 males and seven females.
While giving a breakdown of the seized drugs, Ahmadu Garba, NDLEA Commander at the Lagos airport, said the last arrest in 2015 was that of a 37 year old lady recruited on Facebook to smuggle drugs to Malaysia.
“The airport command arrested 122 males and 20 females with 594.002k of drugs valued at 3.7 billion naira,” Mr. Garba said.
“The drugs consist of 172kg of cannabis, 160kg of ephedrine, 114kg of methamphetamine, 96kg of cocaine, 45kg of tramadol and 5kg of heroin.”
Out of those arrested, 55 were importing drugs from other countries, 62 others were exporting drugs out of the country while 25 were arrested within the State, according to the NDLEA.
“Italy had the highest number of deportees with 55, Thailand 41, United States 24 and 17 from Norway. Other countries are South Africa 15, Spain 10, France and Saudi Arabia 3 each while Brazil, China and Greece deported 2 persons each,” the agency’s statement said.
“One person each was deported from Zambia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Peru, Indonesia, India Belgium, Austria and Argentina.”
On Monday, the anti-narcotics agency had announced that it arrested 149 drug dealers in Lagos, including three culprits who bagged a life sentence with hard labour, in 2015.
