A cocaine warehouse in Lagos has been nabbed by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), seizing about N193 billion worth of crack.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesperson disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
According to him, this is one of “the biggest singular cocaine seizures” in the agency’s history.
Four drug barons, including a Jamaican and a warehouse manager were caught in the raid that took place over the weekend.
According to the statement, the suspects are members of the international drug syndicate that the agency has been trailing for four years.
“The officials busted the cocaine warehouse in Lagos in a secluded estate in Ikorodu area where 1.8 tons (1,855 kilograms) of the illicit drug worth more than two hundred and seventy-eight million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($278, 250,000) equivalent of about one hundred and ninety-four billion, seven hundred and seventy-five million (N194, 775,000,000) naira in street value were seized,” the satement reads.
“At least, four drug barons including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager have been arrested in the well coordinated and intelligence-led operation that lasted two days across different locations in Lagos State.
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“Kingpins of the cocaine cartel in custody include Messrs Soji Jibril, 69, an indigene of Ibadan, Oyo State; Emmanuel Chukwu, 65, who hails from Ekwulobia, Anambra State; Wasiu Akinade, 53, from Ibadan, Oyo State; Sunday Oguntelure, 53, from Okitipupa, Ondo State, and Kelvin Smith, 42, a native of Kingston, Jamaica.
“They are all members of an international drug syndicate that the Agency has been trailing since 2018.”
Babafemi also added that the warehouse was located at NO. 6 Olukuola Crescent, Solebo estate, Ikorodu, was raided on Sunday, adding that the barons were arrested in their hideouts in different parts of Lagos.
“Preliminary investigation reveals the class A drugs were warehoused in the residential estate from where the cartel was trying to sell them to buyers in Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world,” the spokesman said.
“They were stored in 10 travel bags and 13 drums.”
In the statement, Mohamed Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman said the effort was achieved after thorough investigation with American Drug Enforcement Administration, (US-DEA).
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