NDLEA: Drug baroness, four kingpins nabbed in Lagos
A
statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday said
multi-billion naira worth of cocaine, opioids and loud was recovered from their
hideouts.
Mr
Babafemi said a female head of one of the syndicates, Faith Nwankwo, was
arrested on Wednesday, August 9, at her residence, House 6, C close, 3rd
Avenue, Festac area of Lagos.
He
said this shortly after she returned from a warehouse at Plot 3432, Sola Akinsola
Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin, where she loaded eight cartons of tramadol
225mg into an unmarked white Honda Pilot SUV.
Mr
Babafemi said a search of her residence and the warehouse led to the recovery
of 2,750,000 pills of tramaking, a brand of tramadol 225mg and 250mg, packed in
39 cartons weighing 1,916 kilogrammes.
He
said the drugs and the SUV were recovered, while the suspect was taken into
custody.
In
another operation targeted at a group of transnational syndicates involved in
the importation, exportation, distribution, and dealing of cocaine and Canadian
loud, NDLEA operatives on Friday, August 4, tracked the drug syndicate to
Atlantic Nominee Estate in the Lekki- Ajah area of Lagos.
Mr
Babafemi said a blue Toyota Highlander SUV was loaded with 8.49kg of cocaine
and 10.3kg Canadian loud for distribution by the duo of Urama Chinemelum
Precious, 32, and Adelakun Ilelabayo Oluade, 55.
He
said a follow-up operation at the residence of Mr Chinemelum at House 7, Road
7, Lagra Estate, Eti-Osa, Lagos, led to the recovery of additional 18 blocks of
loud, weighing 18.5kg.
According
to him, the following day, Saturday, August 5, operatives of the special unit
went after another syndicate involved in the importation, distribution and
diversion of ephedrine hydrochloride.
”This
is a precursor chemical used for the production of methamphetamine and this
came following intelligence that members of the cartel were planning to divert
25 kilogrammes of the substance.
“Two
members of the syndicate: Udeh Ogbonna, 53, and Okonkwo Uzozie, 50, were
arrested at a commercial bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba, Lagos, where they were
attempting to send the concealed substance to the South-East.
“A
body search conducted on the two suspects led to the recovery of Three Thousand
($3,000) US Dollars found on Udeh Ogbonna,” he said.
