Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA have intercepted travellers’ cheques in various foreign currencies totaling One Billion, One Hundred and Fifty Seven Million, Six Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixty Nine Naira and Ninety Two Kobo (N1,157, 670,469.92) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.
One suspect, Oguma Richard Uchenna, has been arrested in connection with the attempt to transfer the cheques to the United Kingdom, which were meticulously concealed inside four bound hard cover books masquerading as academic project literatures.
The suspected counterfeit financial instruments were discovered on Wednesday, April 27th, at the Lagos airport’s NAHCO export shed during cargo screening of some consignments destined for export to the United Kingdom on a cargo flight.
A breakdown of the cheques shows they have monetary values of Two Hundred and Eighty Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Three Dollars, Thirty One Cent ($287, 623.31); One Million Four Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand Three Hundred Canadian Dollars ($1,456,300) and One Million Two Hundred and Ninety Seven Thousand Eight Hundred (1,297,800) Euros.
A drug trafficking attempt to smuggle 10.89 kg of cocaine into Nigeria via a Qatar Airways flight was also foiled by NDLEA agents at the airport. Seven children’s duvets were carried from Brazil in unaccompanied luggage with the illegal chemical inside.
Meanwhile, raid operations in Kaduna, Ondo and Akwa Ibom state have led to the seizure of about 2,000kg of Tramadol, Codeine, Cannabis and Heroin. In Ondo state, 401kg of cannabis was recovered and two suspects: Julius Dapo, 56 and Emeka Ikebuaku, 32, were arrested at Ipele forest in Owo area on Sunday 24th April.
On the same day, Chigbo Chinonye, 42, a transborder drug trafficker, was apprehended with 2.5kg of amphetamine and 0.5kg of heroin during a stop and search operation along the Oron-Ibaka road on his way to Cameroon.
He concealed the drugs using false bottom packaging.
In Kaduna, a total of 47 cartons of suspected fake Tramadol, comprising 2,350,000 tablets, weighing 1222kg were seized in Zaria on Monday 25th April while a dealer, Chinedu Asogwa was arrested the following day 26th April along Abuja-Kaduna express road, with 2919 bottles of cough syrup with codeine, measuring 291.9litres and a gross weight of 396kg.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, praised the officers and men of the MMIA, Ondo, Akwa Ibom, and Kaduna Commands, and charged them and their compatriots across the country to stay steady and vigilant in their areas of responsibility.
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