Sniffer dogs forced syndicate to abandon N160m heroin at Murtala Mohammed International Airport

Some of the abandoned drugs

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency's sniffer dogs have forced a suspected drug syndicate from Iran to abandon 16 kilogrammes of high grade heroin at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. The dogs refused to heed the call signs of their handlers on reaching some metal pipes at the National Aviation Handling Company shed in the airport.
The dogs' action made the anti-narcotic agency to place the consignment on surveillance.
It was gathered that the presence of many NDLEA operatives in the NAHCO shed eventually led to the abandonment of the heroin.
NDLEA spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju, on Wednesday described the operation as a major seizure of narcotics.

He said, "The brownish substance that tested positive for heroin weighing 16 kilogrammes was packed in white transparent polythene and hidden inside the metal pipes.
"The drug which was industrially packed was brought as cargo on a KLM flight from the Republic of Iran. The estimated street value of the drug in Lagos is about N160m and could be four times higher in international market.
"The agency conducted 100 per cent search because of the alert given by the sniffer dogs. A welder was invited to cut the pipe open. The effort paid off when the heroin was found. The cargo with Air Waybill number 0747419547 was addressed to one Mr. Nnaemeka Chinedu Joseph of 64, Ladipo Industrial Parts, Mushin, Lagos."
Ofoyeju said the Airport Commander, Hamza Umar, said the consignment which arrived from Iran had yet to be claimed.
The NDLEA spokesman added that the agency already had its suspicion about the pipes before the dogs' action reinforced it.
"This was what emboldened us to conduct extensive examination openly witnessed by customs, police and other security officials. They were all amazed at the clever way the drug was concealed," Ofoyeju said.
He added that the agency Chairman, Ahmadu Giade, described the discovery as an eloquent testimony that drug trafficking syndicates were losing the drug war.
Ofoyeju said Giade had directed his men to ensure that the people behind the importation of the drug were uncovered.
He said, "The chairman added that the role of the sniffer dogs in the seizure underscores the importance of logistic support in the drug war."

source: punch