The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a South African woman, Gebashe Sithandiwe Jessie, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State, for trafficking 32.74 kilogrammes of cannabis. The arrest was made in a joint operation with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). Jessie was found with 30 parcels of Thai Loud, a strain of cannabis, and reportedly travelled from Thailand through Doha, Qatar, aboard a Qatar Airways flight.
According to the NDLEA, Jessie confessed to previously trafficking drugs through other African countries and was attempting to extend her operations to Port Harcourt when she was arrested. The agency's director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest and other nationwide operations that led to the seizure of large quantities of illicit drugs and firearms.
In another operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 354,000 tablets of Tapentadol, 250mg, weighing 307.20 kilogrammes, in a shipment of nine cartons from Pakistan. The consignment arrived aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight on 29 September and was subjected to a joint examination on 6 October, during which the tablets were discovered.
The NDLEA also intercepted a shipment from the United Kingdom that yielded 70 parcels of Colorado weighing 75.90 kilogrammes, concealed in six Ghana-Must-Go bags. A clearing agent, John Edrah, 54, was arrested on 30 September, followed by an Uber driver, Taofiq Ajibola, 54, who was apprehended while collecting one of the bags at a logistics company in the Mafoluku area of Oshodi, Lagos.
Two other suspects, Adetunji Adebayo and Kazeem Damola Dosunmu, 48, were subsequently arrested while allegedly collecting the remaining five bags. According to the agency, Ajibola identified a UK-based associate, Lukman Sa’idu, as the person who sent his consignment, while Dosunmu said his drugs came from another UK-based individual identified as Yusuf.
The NDLEA's nationwide operations resulted in the seizure of large quantities of illicit drugs and firearms, with several suspects arrested in connection with the trafficking. The agency's efforts aim to curb the spread of illicit substances in Nigeria and disrupt the activities of drug traffickers.
The arrested suspects and seized substances are currently being processed for prosecution, as the NDLEA continues its efforts to combat drug trafficking in Nigeria. The agency's operations demonstrate its commitment to enforcing the country's drug laws and protecting its citizens from the harm caused by illicit substances.
Key points
- NDLEA arrests South African woman with 32.74kg cannabis at Port Harcourt Airport
- Agency seizes 354,000 tablets of Tapentadol and 70 parcels of Colorado in separate operations
- Several suspects arrested in connection with drug trafficking in nationwide operations
