The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) busted an international drug gang, seizing 51.90 kilogrammes of heroin, the greatest seizure in the agency’s history.
It is estimated that the street worth of the confiscated heroin is N10.4 billion, or £100,000 per kilogramme.
Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd), the NDLEA Chairman, made the announcement while briefing press yesterday at the Lagos Airport Command in Ikeja. He said four cartel members, including six mules, had been apprehended.
During the inquiry, he stated that members of the drug cartel were found to be from Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe, and America.
The accused syndicate boss in Nigeria, identified as Reginald Chidiebere, was tracked down to his flat in Ago Palace in Lagos’ Okota district.
He stated that so far, 107 bank accounts affiliated with 14 cartel members, as well as N119.6 million discovered in certain traceable bank accounts, had been blocked.
According to Marwa, the Golden Platinum Hotel and Suite on Hope Estate in Ago Palace, which is owned by Chidiebere, has also been shut.
He stated that a home associated to the suspected leader of the syndicate in Nigeria and another tied to the head of the syndicate in Mozambique, Festus Ibewuike, both located in the Ago Palace area, had been designated for forfeiture to the Federal Government.
He said:
“It started on February 10, 2024, when NDLEA operatives of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Command intercepted a suspicious package at the SAHCO Import Shed of the airport’s Cargo Terminal.
“The consignment was concealed in 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines. Each carton was stocked with three blocks of high-grade heroin. In total, we recovered 45 blocks of the illicit substance with a total weight of 49.70kg.
“After the discovery, we were methodical and meticulous in our investigations. We started with the arrest of the freight agent whose name is Olowolagba Babatunde. It turned out that he was hired for clearing services by Mattpee Logistics, a company operated by one Mr. Kola, resident in South Africa.
“Next, we conducted a follow up operation at the company’s warehouse in the Shogunle area of Oshodi, Lagos, and arrested the warehouse manager, whose name is Ajayi Moses.
“Thereafter, we set up an ambush for the expected receiver of the consignment, who was duly arrested when he showed up for collection.”
cc: Vanguard Ng
