NDLEA intercepts $17.7 million in counterfeit travelers’ cheques, arrests suspects
On Sunday, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced that it had seized 52 traveler checks totaling $17.7 million that were hidden in children’s books.
The checks occurred on a Turkish Airlines flight headed to Malaysia via Istanbul, according to a statement released by NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi in Abuja.
However, Babafemi said that on July 4, NDLEA agents seized the checks at the airport’s export shed. According to him, a freight agent was detained during the interdiction operation at Lagos Airport in relation to the travelers’ checks that were intercepted.
“The suspect will shortly be turned over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for additional investigation, as the travelers’ checks are suspected to be counterfeit,” he stated. He claimed that on July 5, 718 large skunk balls weighing 359 kg were found in a store in the Baba-Pupa neighborhood of the border community by NDLEA personnel stationed at the Seme border.
On patrol along the Okene-Lokoja highway, agents seized 10,000 pills of co-codamol and tramadol 225 mg, along with 1.050 kg of synthetic cannabis called Colorado. He claimed that as a result, during a follow-up operation, the proprietors of the way-billed drug consignments were apprehended at Jabi Park in Abuja.
In another Osun development, according to Babafemi, two suspects were taken into custody on July 3 in the Ajegunle neighborhood of Osogbo, and 13,901 pills and ampoules of various opioids were found on them.
He said that 48,205 opioid pills were found in a patent medicine store on Arubidi Street in Ile-Ife, where another suspect was apprehended. Three individuals were taken into custody following a raid on a vulcanizer workshop on Tuesday, July 1 in the Alekuwodo neighborhood of Osogbo at Akindeko intersection.
“They were taken into custody with three bottles of codeine-based syrup, 850 tramadol pills, and 1,250 ampoules of pentazocine injection.” The spokesman said that the War Against Drug Abuse, (WADA), social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
“Some of them include: the WADA sensitisation lecture delivered to students and staff of Queen of Angel Secondary School, Mgbidi, Awgu, Enugu state, Divine Purpose College, Eyita, Ikorodu, Lagos.
“Others are Al-Furqan College, Kankia, Katsina, and residents of Gomari Binta Suga community, Maiduguri, Borno state, among others.”
Earlier, NDLEA announced it had destroyed 24,175 kilograms of skunk on 9.67 hectares of cannabis farmland at Ikaka, Oke-Ila forest, Osun.
The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that NDLEA operatives had raided the area where seven suspects were arrested on July 3.
He said NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway recovered 11,000 pills of tramadol 225mg from a suspect, while their counterparts in Sokoto arrested a 62-year-old in connection with the seizure of 4,800 pills of tramadol 225mg.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
