Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The Nationwide Drug Regulation Enforcement Company (NDLEA) has arrested three members of an organised legal organisation which specialises in illicit drug trafficking throughout Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe and America over two months after they have been declared wished.
Their arrest adopted the current seizure of the one largest consignment of heroin on the Murtala Muhammed Worldwide Airport, Lagos.
A press release issued yesterday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics company, Femi Babafemi, mentioned a complete of 51.9 kilogrammes of heroin had been recovered from members of the drug cartel in an operation that started on February 10, 2024, on the SAHCO Import Shed of the Lagos airport’s Cargo Terminal.
He recalled that the consignment was hid in 15 cartons of 2300-watt steel slicing machines, with at least 45 blocks of the illicit substance weighing 49.70 kilogrammes recovered from the gear, whereas further 2.2 kilogrammes was seized on the syndicate’s warehouse in Ayobo space of Lagos.
He mentioned whereas the company has secured interim forfeiture courtroom order on resort, mansions, automobiles and funds traced to members of the syndicate after arresting 4 of them, a manhunt was additionally launched for others who went underground.
Babafemi famous that the trouble, nonetheless, paid off final Friday when two of the wished kingpins-Onyinyechi Igbokwuputa and Frankline Uzochukwu-were arrested in Lagos and Awka, Anambra State respectively, with one other wished member of the syndicate, Osita Obinna. nabbed in Lagos.
Babafemi mentioned an try by a suspect, Iheakara Ifeanyichukwu, to export a drug consignment via the terminal 2 of the Lagos airport to Muscat, Oman through Ethiopian airline flight final Thursday was thwarted by NDLEA officers. When his baggage was searched, 20 huge parcels of hashish weighing 9.80 kilogrammes have been found hid in his bag.
Iheakara, who lives in Muscat, Oman and returned to Nigeria on April 1, in his assertion confessed he was employed to courier the drug with an settlement to receives a commission N1.2 million upon profitable supply in Oman.
Babafemi revealed that In Adamawa state, NDLEA operatives final Saturday intercepted a Peugeot automotive pushed by Dahiru Mohammed at Girei on his solution to Mubi with 1,250,000 capsules of opioids weighing 450 kilogrammes. The operatives had earlier intercepted alongside Ngurore -Yola highway a J5 bus marked AAA790XV loaded with motor spare components from Onitsha, Anambra State, with consignments of codeine syrup and tramadol hid in-between the motor components. A observe up operation led to the arrest of the recipient, Jairus Nwanchor at Jambutu motor park.
He mentioned three suspects-Beriakuma Chinrdu, 40; Okpor Isaac, 68, and Daniel Onyeachom, 42-were final Saturday arrested at Amarata,Yenagoa, Bayelsa State in reference to the seizure of 69 compressed blocks of hashish weighing 36 kilogrammes and hid in a false compartment of a Toyota Picnic automotive marked MUS 711 DH they have been travelling in. That is whilst NDLEA operatives in Imo state final Thursday arrested Kingsley Omeje, 41, at Amajeke, Owerri whereas he was taking supply of 49 bottles of codeine syrup he ordered.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives raided the Oloro camp, Ogbese, Akure North native authorities space the place they arrested Linus Odogwu, 50, and destroyed a complete of 25,000 kilogrammes of hashish on 10 hectares of farmland whereas they recovered 89.5 kilogrammes of identical substance. Three different suspects-David Ekepenyoung, 22; Oluwaseun Folorunso, 23; and Rabiu Musa, 32, have been nabbed in different components of the state in connection to totally different seizures totaling 77 kilogrammes .
Babafemi mentioned NDLEA Instructions throughout the nation intensified their Struggle In opposition to Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy lectures.
In the meantime, the Chairman/Chief Government Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) whereas commending the officers and males of the MMIA, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Ondo and Imo State Instructions of the company for his or her balanced efforts up to now week, equally applauded their counterparts throughout the nation for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures thus creating parity between their drug provide discount and drug demand discount actions.