NDLEA intercepts drugs bound for Qatar as officers reject N5m bribe
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) has detained a 35-year-old lady, Chidinma Chinenye-Agbazue, over alleged attempt to export 20 parcels of Cannabis Sativa weighing 10.70kg to Doha, Qatar through Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State.
The illicit drugs were said to have been concealed in African salad popularly called Abacha; and dried vegetables.
The agency carried out the operation in conjunction with operatives of the Department of State Services.
The anti-narcotics operatives also reportedly rejected a N5 million bribe from another suspect in Lagos State.
The spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, revealed the development in a statement on Sunday.
Babafemi said, “Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have detained a 35-year-old lady, Chidinma Chinenye-Agbazue after she was caught attempting to export 20 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 10.70kg concealed in African salad popularly called Abacha and dried vegetables to Doha, Qatar through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos state.
“NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport working in partnership with men of the Department of State Services had on Thursday, March 28 intercepted Chidinma, an outbound passenger from Lagos to Doha, on Qatar Airways during clearance of passengers at the screening point of Terminal 11 of the MMIA.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that Chidinma was based in Qatar but returned to Nigeria last December for Christmas celebration. She said preparatory to her return to Doha, she was lodged at Club Dice Hotel in Ikotun area of Lagos where the consignment was handed over to her for trafficking to the Arab country.”
Besides, Babafemi noted that two suspects; Monday Okeke and Chigozie Emeka, were on Tuesday, March 26, arrested by NDLEA operatives in Oniwaya, Yaba and Agege area of Lagos, where they recovered from them 842,560 pills of opioids especially tramadol in addition to 15 litres of codeine syrup and 596 grams of Molly.
He said: “Attempt by Okeke to bribe the NDLEA officers with N5 million cash was rebuffed while the money was documented as part of exhibits to prosecute the suspects in court.”