The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced on Sunday that it has dismantled three criminal networks operating in Lagos State.
Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, disclosed the arrests in a statement.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA operatives from the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) successfully neutralized the three primary illicit drug syndicates.
On August 9, Faith Ebele Nwankwo, a prominent figure in one of the syndicates, was apprehended at her residence, House 6, C Close, 3rd Avenue, Festac area of Lagos. She had just returned from a warehouse located at Plot 3432 Sola Akinsola Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin, where she had loaded eight cases of tramadol 225mg into an unmarked white Honda Pilot SUV.
A subsequent search of her residence and the warehouse yielded approximately 2,750,000 pills of Tramaking, a brand of Tramadol 225mg and 250mg. The drugs, weighing 1,916 kg, were packed in 39 cases. The suspect was taken into custody and the drugs, as well as the SUV, were seized.
Another network engaged in the smuggling, export, and distribution of cocaine and Canadian Loud was intercepted on August 4. The operatives tracked the members to Atlantic Nominee Estate in the Lekki-Ajah area of Lagos and caught them red-handed with a Toyota Highlander SUV loaded with 8.49kg of cocaine and 10.3 kg of Canadian Loud, ready for distribution.
The arrest of Urama Chinemelum Precious, 32, and Adelakun Ilelabayo Oluade, 55, was made immediately. Further investigation by NDLEA operatives at Chinemelum’s residence, House 7, Road 7, Lagra Estate, in Eti-Osa, led to the discovery of an additional 18 blocks of Loud, weighing 18.5kg.
The third network was apprehended on August 5 when Udeh Vincent Ogbonna, 53, and Okonkwo Ifeanyi Uzozie, 50, were arrested at a commercial bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba.
They were in the process of transporting 25kg of ephedrine hydrochloride to the Southeast.
The duo was affiliated with a network involved in the smuggling, distribution, and diversion of the precursor chemical used for manufacturing methamphetamine.