Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have made the biggest singular cocaine seizure in the history of Nigeria.
The seizure was made at a warehouse in a secluded estate in Ikorodu area of Lagos State where 1.8tons (1,855kgs) of cocaine worth over $278,250,000,(about N194,775,000,000) in street value.
Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said on Monday in Abuja that the seizures are the biggest singular cocaine seizure in the agency’s history.
Babafemi said at least, four drug barons including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager were apprehended in a 48-hour well coordinated intelligence-led operation across different regions in Lagos State.
“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 said.
Located at 6 Olukuola crescent, Solebo estate, Ikorodu, the warehouse was raided on Sunday September 18, 2022, while the barons were picked from hotels and their dens in different parts of Lagos between Sunday night and Monday September 19.
Investigation reveals the class A drugs were warehoused in 10 travel bags and 13 drums at the residential estate from where the cartel intend to sell them to buyers in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world.
While commending all the officers and men of the agency involved in the extensive investigation including those of the American Drug Enforcement Administration, (US-DEA), Chairman of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the bust is a historical blow to the drug cartels and a strong warning that they will all go down if they fail to realise that the game has changed and discontinue their illicit drug trafficking.