The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested three wanted members of a criminal network specialising in drug trafficking across several countries.
This was disclosed in a statement posted on the organization’s website on Sunday and signed by Femi Babafemi, the director of advocacy and media for the organization.
The statement also disclosed that 51.90 kg of heroin were recovered following the seizure of the largest heroin consignment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.
The statement read, “Over two months after they were declared wanted, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested three members of an organised criminal organisation which specialises in illicit drug trafficking across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe and America following the recent seizure of the single largest consignment of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.
“A total of 51.90Kg of heroin had been recovered from members of the drug cartel in an operation that began on February 10, 2024 at the SAHCO Import Shed of the airport’s Cargo Terminal.
“The consignment was concealed in 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines, with no less than 45 blocks of the illicit substance weighing 49.70kg recovered from the equipment, while additional 2.2kg was seized at the syndicate’s warehouse in Ayobo area of Lagos.
“While the agency has secured interim forfeiture court order on hotel, mansions, vehicles and funds traced to members of the syndicate after arresting four of them, a manhunt was also been launched for others who went underground. The effort, however, paid off on Friday, April 19, when two of the wanted kingpins: Onyinyechi Irene Igbokwuputa and Frankline Uzochukwu were arrested in Lagos and Awka, Anambra State respectively.
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“Another wanted member of the syndicate, Osita Obinna was equally nabbed in Lagos.”
Similarly, on April 18, NDLEA agents stopped a suspect named Iheakara Festus from trying to export a drug shipment via Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport and board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Muscat, Oman.
Officers reportedly found 20 large parcels of cannabis, weighing 9.80 kg, hidden inside his luggage after searching it.
Festus, a Muscat resident who left Oman on April 1 to return to Nigeria, confessed in his confession that he was paid N1.2 million to deliver the drug successfully in Oman.
On April 20, NDLEA agents in Adamawa State stopped a Peugeot vehicle driven by Dahiru Mohammed in Girei. The vehicle was transporting 1,250,000 opiate pills, weighing 450 kg, to Mubi.
Before that, they had stopped a J5 bus on the Ngurore-Yola Road in Onitsha, Anambra State, which was carrying motor spare parts.
Tramadol and codeine syrup were discovered hidden among the engine parts.
Following a follow-up operation, they detained the recipient, Jairus Nwanchor, at Jambutu Motor Park.
Three suspects were taken into custody in Amarata, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on April 20: Daniel Onyeachom (42), Okpor Isaac (68), and Beriakuma Chinrdu (40).
They were discovered to be in possession of 69 compressed blocks of cannabis, each weighing 36 kg, hidden inside a Toyota Picnic car with the license plate MUS 711 DH.
On April 18, however, as Kingsley Omeje, 41, of Imo State, was accepting a delivery of 49 bottles of codeine syrup he had ordered, NDLEA agents detained him in Amajeke, Owerri.
When NDLEA agents raided the Oloro camp in Ogbese, Akure North LGA, in Ondo State, they took 50-year-old Linus Odogwu into custody.
On a 10-hectare farm, they also destroyed 25,000 kg of cannabis and found 89.5 kg of the same material.
In addition, three additional suspects, Rabiu Musa (32), Oluwaseun Folorunso (23), and David Obungete Ekepenyoung (22), were arrested in different regions of the state in relation to various seizures weighing 77 kg.
