NDLEA Unmasks ‘Green Tea’ Drug Syndicate, Nets Major Hauls Nationwide

LAGOS, Nigeria – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dealt a significant blow to drug traffickers, intercepting a cunningly disguised consignment of illicit drugs at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

The agency revealed that 66 parcels of “loud,” a potent strain of cannabis weighing 62.20kg, were cleverly concealed within green tea packaging, arriving from Thailand via the United Arab Emirates on an Emirates Airlines flight.

According to Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, the sophisticated seizure at the MMIA’s import shed on Thursday, June 5th, was the culmination of weeks of intelligence-led surveillance.

The consignment had been on the agency’s watch list since its arrival at the cargo wing on May 11th, with operatives maintaining continuous surveillance for over three weeks before conducting a joint examination with other stakeholders. This intricate operation highlights the NDLEA’s growing capability in identifying and disrupting complex smuggling routes.

The MMIA bust is just one of several major successes reported by the NDLEA this past week across various states.

In a separate operation on Monday, June 2nd, NDLEA operatives in Lagos intercepted a massive 1,665kg consignment of skunk, another potent cannabis strain, along the Lekki-Ajah expressway.

Two suspects, Gidado Abdulrasaq Ayinde and Obanla Oluwafemi, were promptly arrested in connection with this substantial haul, underscoring the agency’s efforts to curb drug distribution networks within the city.

Meanwhile, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives made a series of arrests and seizures. On June 3rd, two young women, Favour Joy and Joy Igwe, were apprehended in the Ikpoba Hill area of Benin City. From their possession, a staggering 108.67kg of various illicit drugs were recovered, including 106.57kg of skunk, 1kg of loud, 800 grams of Colorado, and 302 grams of methamphetamine.

In a related incident, 9kg of loud was discovered hidden in the spare tyre compartment of an Audi station wagon along Auchi Road, leading to the arrest of the driver, Atari Israel.

Kaduna State also witnessed significant interdictions. On June 3rd, 29-year-old Goodluck Nnaemeka was arrested along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway with 612 bottles of codeine syrup and 2,970 pills of flunitrazepam.

The same day, NDLEA operatives tracked down and arrested 52-year-old wanted drug dealer Kabiru Musa, also known as “KB,” in Kurmin Mashi. The agency had previously seized 25.7kg of skunk from his base, indicating a continued pursuit of known traffickers.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Kaduna, and Edo Commands for their diligence and effectiveness in the recent arrests and seizures.

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He reiterated the agency’s unwavering commitment to stamping out drug trafficking and abuse across the nation, emphasizing that these successes are a testament to the ongoing “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA) campaign.

These operations collectively showcase the NDLEA’s robust intelligence gathering, sustained surveillance, and coordinated enforcement efforts, sending a strong message to drug syndicates that their illicit activities will not go unpunished.