NDLEA busts drug cartel, seizes N4.7bn cocaine, others

In a massive crackdown on drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has busted a cartel controlled by a drug baron and his sister, seizing cocaine and methamphetamine worth over N4.1 billion.

This was made known in a statement signed by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, and shared on the Agency’s website on Sunday.

According to the statement, the operation, which was conducted on June 13 and 14 in Aba, Abia State, resulted in the arrest of Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi, 49, and his sister, Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi, 50. The siblings were found with 20.76 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine.

The statement said, “A cartel controlled by a drug baron, 49-year-old Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi and his 50-year-old elder sister, Ms. Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi, has been taken down by officers of the Special Operation Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, following the arrest of the siblings and seizure of cocaine and methamphetamine consignments worth over N4.1billion in street value from their hideout in Aba, Abia state.

“The special operation conducted on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th June, 2024 at 3B, Boundary Avenue, Aba and a residence along Ohia road, Ohia, Abia State followed months of intelligence gathering, leading to the arrest of the ring leaders and the combined seizure of 20.76 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine from them.

NDLEA operatives also uncovered a Lagos warehouse stocked with codeine-based syrup and arrested four suspects connected to the importation and distribution of the opioid.

The statement added, “In a related development, NDLEA operatives in Lagos state have uncovered an expansive warehouse stocked with a large consignment of codeine-based syrup, located at Comfort Oboh area of Kirikiri, where four persons connected with the importation and distribution of the opioid were arrested during an intelligence-led raid on the facility.

“Those arrested include: Kingsley Amanambu Obumneke, 38; Emeka Emmanuel, 48; Bornaventure Ugochukwu, 59; and Martin Dike, 56, while a total of 82,000 bottles of the opioid worth more than N600million in street value, Toyota Tacuma truck and two buses used for distributing the substance were recovered from the premises on Monday 10th June 2024 when NDLEA officers conducted the operation.

“Two days after, Wednesday 12th June, operatives intercepted another suspect, Ibrahim Abdulhamid with 29,100 pills of tramadol and other opioids as well as 3.9 litres of codeine syrup at Alaba Suru, Ojo local council area of the state.”

NDLEA operatives in Kano arrested two major drug distributors, Yasir Rabi’u (23) and Abubakar Ado (30), with 230,600 tramadol pills (225mg and 200mg) on June 10. Another suspect, Hassan Abdullahi Ali (25), was arrested with 150 bottles of codeine syrup on June 11.

NDLEA operatives in Ogun State seized 390kg of cannabis and arrested three suspects – Muhammad Sani, Nura Mohammad, and Samaila Rabe – during a raid in the Ibese area on June 10. Additionally, on June 12, officers busted a skuchies factory in Shagamu, arresting seven suspects and recovering various drugs and equipment.

The statement identifying the suspects said, “They include: Kareem Jamiu; Oriyimi Ayo; Bamidele Wasiu; Rasheed Olarewanju; Ramota Lawal; Amudalat Olarewanju; and Adeniyi Omotosho.

“Exhibits recovered from them include: 387 litres of skuchies; 70 litres of industrial codeine; 25kg cannabis and different quantities of tramadol, rophynol, diazepam, as well as various equipment used in the production of the new psychoactive substance.”

NDLEA officers raided Uhen forest in Edo State on June 12, destroying 10,534.78 kg of cannabis on a 4.2 hectare farm. Four suspects – Frank Ishoku, Clifford Ossai, Vanger Timothy, and John Peter Oluwaseyi – were arrested, and 16 kg of processed cannabis was seized for prosecution.

NDLEA operatives also arrested two suspects, Muhammad Abba (33) and Samson Ehizogie (42), with 3,550 bottles of “Akuskura”, a new psychotropic substance, during a raid in Abuja on June 14. The arrests were made in Garki Area 10 and Dutse Suokale, both in the Federal Capital Territory.

NDLEA operatives on June 12, arrested Emmanuel Ogechi, 24, with 11,200 tramadol pills in Benue State.

Additionally, Anayo Onwe, 40, was arrested with 62.4kg of cannabis sativa in Anambra State, where 1kg of methamphetamine was also seized from a fleeing suspect.

Furthermore, Muhammed Musa, 24, was arrested with 33kg of cannabis in Kwara State, and Shokuro Adeola, 59, was arrested with 11.5kg of cannabis in Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Oyo state.