Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,NDLEA,have dismantled a clandestine laboratory used for the production of Colorado.
A synthetic strain of cannabis, was found inside a residential building in Ajao Estate, Isolo, Lagos.
The operation followed intensive surveillance and intelligence-led investigations into emerging local production channels of the psychoactive drug, resulting in the arrest of the lab owner and recovery of large quantities of freshly processed Colos and chemical precursors.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the raid was conducted last Thursday, leading to the arrest of 30-year-old Kelechi Imoh, who had converted a private apartment into a full drug-manufacturing facility.
Officers recovered 16.2 kilogrammes of freshly cooked Colos, 1.7 kilogrammes of ADB-CHMNACA Cannabinol, 4.5 kilogrammes of potassium carbonate, and 91 litres of dibromobutane, all used in synthetic cannabis production.
The latest breakthrough follows earlier seizures of locally-produced Colorado in March and May 2025 in Lagos, which prompted deeper investigations into suspected production cells across the state.
Intelligence gathered over several months pointed to the Ajao Estate apartment as a key operational base for the illegal manufacturing network.
In a separate operation in Mushin, Lagos, NDLEA officers raided the hideout of a suspected drug dealer, 28-year-old Afeez Salisu (alias Malu), and seized 16 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud and designer packs of Colorado weighing 16.4 kilogrammes.
Another arrest in Lagos involved 20-year-old music artist, Godspower George Osahenrumwen, known as Steady Boy. He was apprehended after arriving to collect three cartons disguised as bathtub packages containing 140 bags of Loud weighing 77.2 kilogrammes.
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The consignment, imported from New York via a DHL flight, was tracked to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport import shed. His manager, identified as Zion Osazee Omigie (a.k.a Zee Money), is currently on the run.
In Kaduna State, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Abuja–Jos highway intercepted 84,710 tramadol capsules being transported from Onitsha to Bauchi. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of the intended recipient, 27-year-old Musa Abdulkarim.
Two days later, another suspect, Hamza Musa, 47, was arrested at the Abuja–Kaduna tollgate with 32,946 bottles of Akuskura, while Saidu Nafiu, 30, was caught with 131.5 kilogrammes of skunk in Igabi Local Government Area.
In Ogun State, three suspects — Seun Olaniyi (24), Rauf Asogba (28) and Ayinla Adeniyi (50) — were tracked from Benin Republic and arrested along Abiola Way, Abeokuta with 1,779 kilogrammes of skunk concealed in a bus.
Further nationwide seizures include:
- 596.4 kilogrammes of skunk from Jamilu Mustapha in Bauchi
- 532,600 pills of tramadol and exol-5 in a truck intercepted in Ilorin, Kwara State
- 1,455 kilogrammes of skunk in two Toyota Sienna buses in Edo State
- 2,829 kilogrammes of skunk recovered from two locations in Ayede, Ogbese, Ondo State, linked to Mrs. Ige Olarewaju, 32
- 737 kilogrammes of skunk seized from another suspect in Akure
In Badagry, Lagos, officers seized 76.5 litres of skuchies, a cocktail of black currant, skunk and opioids, from 50-year-old Ige Oluwale. Meanwhile, in Taraba, 30,370 tramadol tablets and 177 grammes of methamphetamine were recovered from two suspects transporting drugs from Onitsha to Yola.
Alongside these enforcement activities, NDLEA commands across the country continued War Against Drug Abuse outreach programmes in schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended officers of the Lagos, Kaduna, Edo, Kwara, Ogun, Taraba, Ondo, Seme and Bauchi commands for sustained intelligence-driven operations.
He reiterated that the agency will intensify efforts to dismantle drug syndicates nationwide and ensure that proceeds of narcotics trafficking are forfeited to the Federal Government.
Crediblenewsng.com
