At Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced the seizure of the largest consignment of heroin to date.
The agency apprehended members of an organized criminal group involved in heroin trafficking across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe, and America.
The operation led to the confiscation of 51.90Kg of heroin on February 12, 2024.
NDLEA Chairman Buba Marwa revealed this information during a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday. Marwa highlighted that this operation marked the largest heroin seizure at the airport. The heroin was discovered concealed within 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines.
Marwa also drew a connection between this recent heroin seizure and the massive 2,139.5kg cocaine seizure on September 18, 2022, in a warehouse in Ikorodu.
The cocaine seizure was described as the most significant single cocaine seizure in NDLEA history.
According to him, four cartel members linked to the recent seizure were arrested in a follow-up operation conducted by the NDLEA operatives.
He said, “NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Command intercepted a suspicious package at the SAHCO Import Shed of the airport’s Cargo Terminal. The consignment was concealed in 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines. Each carton was stocked with three blocks of high-grade heroin. In total, we recovered 45 blocks of the illicit substance with a total weight of 49.70kg.
“After the discovery, we were methodical and meticulous in our investigations. We started with the arrest of the freight agent whose name is Olowolagba Wasiu Babatunde. It turned out that he was hired for clearing services by Mattpee Logistics, a company operated by one Mr. Kola resident in South Africa.”
