Operatives of the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are interrogating a South Africa-based
evangelist over 165kgs of narcotics drugs seized at the Apapa Seaport,
Lagos.
The 92kgs of methamphetamine and 73kgs
of ephedrine were detected inside two containers of foodstuff meant for
export to South Africa.
The arrest and seizure are a product on
intense undercover operation by the NDLEA. The estimated street value
of the drugs is N1.4 billion.
The drugs were hidden inside packs of
melon concealed in foodstuff and cosmetics such as gari (cassava
flakes), noodles, Knorr and Maggi food seasoning, yam powder, malt
drinks, pepper, milk, herbal hair cream and Golden Morn cereals.
Other items in the container are Damatol
hair cream, bags of melon, kegs of palm oil, beans, biscuits, sardine
and cartons of Orijin Bitters.
During the examination of the containers
marked MSKU 388274-1 and MSKU 424717-0, anti-narcotic officials
detected 20kg of Methamphetamine and 50kg of Ephedrine inside the first
container and 72Kg of Methamphetamine and 23Kg of Ephedrine in the
second container.
The total weight of the drugs is 165kgs.
Chairman and Chief Executive of the
NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd), said that the seizure had
significant influence on the campaign against narcotic drugs and
psychotropic substances.
He said: “This is a product of careful
planning and meticulous tracking of narcotic drugs movement. The
consignments were closely monitored by our undercover agents and
intercepted at the Apapa Seaport, Lagos, following the detection of
narcotics by NDLEA sniffer dogs during screening operation. This will
definitely have a positive influence on Nigeria’s drug control efforts”.
The NDLEA boss added that the agency would remain meticulous in detecting drugs and prosecuting offenders.
“I am very happy with the success
recorded in this operation. The agency will remain painstaking and
professional in the fight against illicit drug production, trafficking
and abuse. We hope to unmask the drug syndicate behind this shipment and
make more arrests soon,” Abdallah promised.
Officers successfully traced the illicit
consignment to a 52-year-old man who claimed to be an evangelist by
name John Vincent Arinze who was arrested in his hotel room in Lagos. A
Mercedes Benz Jeep belonging to him was also impounded at the time of
the arrest.
The suspect hails from Ara village, Nise
in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. John who had
lived in South Africa for over a decade accepted ownership of the
illicit shipment.
The suspect, in his statement, said he made a big mistake by taking over the business of his late wife.
“I am an evangelist living in Durban,
South Africa. My late wife was into drug trafficking before she died few
years ago. I made a mistake venturing into her business. It is all my
fault,” he stated.
He will soon be charged to court. THE SUN
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