By Emma Njoku and Godwin Tsa, Abuja

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted travellers’ cheques in different foreign currencies with a total value of N1.1 billion, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr, Femi Babafemi, who made the disclosure in a statement, yesterday, said a suspect, Oguma Richard Uchenna, has been arrested in connection with an attempt to export the cheques, which were neatly concealed inside four bound hard cover books disguised as academic project literatures, to the United Kingdom.

He said the financial instruments suspected to be counterfeits were discovered on Wednesday, April 27, at NAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport, during cargo examination of some consignments meant for exportation to the UK on a cargo flight.

“A breakdown of the cheques shows they have monetary values of  $287, 623.31; $1,456,300 and €1,297,800.

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“In the same vein, operatives of NDLEA at the airport have foiled an attempt by drug traffickers to smuggle into Nigeria 10.89kilograms of cocaine through a Qatar Airways flight. The illicit drug was hidden in seven children’s duvets packed in an unaccompanied bag from Brazil,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, about 2,000kg of tramadol, codeine, cannabis and heroin were seized in raid operations in in Kaduna, Ondo and Akwa Ibom state, while 401kg of cannabis was recovered from two suspects: Julius Dapo, 56 and Emeka Ikebuaku, 32,  at Ipele forest in the Owo area of Ondo state, on Sunday, April 24.

On the same day, a transborder drug trafficker, Chigbo Chinonye, 42, was arrested with amphetamine weighing 2.5kg and heroin weighing 0.5kg during a stop and search operation conducted along 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 April 25, while a dealer, Chinedu Asogwa, was arrested the following day along Abuja-Kaduna express road, with 2919 bottles of cough syrup with codeine, measuring 291.9litres and a gross weight of 396kg.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Ondo, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna Commands of the agency for the seizures and arrests in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), charged them and their compatriots across the country to remain steadfast and vigilant in their areas of responsibility.