Cartel Members
NDLEA Arrests Three Cartel Members In Historic Heroin Bust
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully apprehended three members of a notorious drug trafficking syndicate operating across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe, and America.
Naija News reports that the arrests follow the recent seizure of a substantial heroin consignment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.
NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi announced that the operation, which began on February 10, 2024, at the SAHCO Import Shed of MMIA’s Cargo terminal, resulted in the recovery of 51.90 kilograms of heroin.
“The consignment was concealed in 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines, with 49.70kg recovered from the equipment and an additional 2.2kg seized at the syndicate’s warehouse in the Ayobo area of Lagos,” Babafemi detailed.
The crackdown extended beyond the immediate recovery, leading to a broader investigation and subsequent arrests.
“On Friday, 19th April, two of the wanted kingpins: Onyinyechi Irene Igbokwuputa and Frankline Uzochukwu were arrested in Lagos and Awka, Anambra state respectively. Another member, Osita Emmanuel Obinna, was also nabbed in Lagos,” Babafemi said.
These arrests were part of a larger string of NDLEA activities aimed at dismantling drug trafficking operations within the country.
In Adamawa state, operatives intercepted a Peugeot car transporting 1,250,000 pills of opioids. In another case, a J5 bus was found transporting motor spare parts from Onitsha, concealing consignments of Codeine Syrup and Tramadol.
Further operations in Bayelsa led to the capture of three suspects found with 36kg of cannabis hidden in a Toyota Picnic car.
In Ondo state, an NDLEA raid destroyed 25,000 kilograms of cannabis grown on 10 hectares of farmland and resulted in multiple arrests related to drug trafficking.
© 2024 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc.
