N4.7bn cocaine, meth seized as NDLEA bursts Lagos warehouse, arrests siblings in Aba
By Adeyanju Esther
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a cartel led by Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi, 49, and his elder sister, Ms. Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi, 50.
The siblings were arrested following a special operation by the NDLEA’s Special Operation Unit, which also seized cocaine and methamphetamine consignments valued at over N4.1 billion from their hideout in Aba, Abia State.
The operation, conducted on June 13th and 14th at locations on Boundary Avenue and Ohia Road in Aba, resulted in the arrest of the ring leaders and the confiscation of 20.76 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine. This operation was the culmination of months of intelligence gathering.
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives in Lagos uncovered a large warehouse stocked with codeine-based syrup in the Comfort Oboh area of Kirikiri. Four individuals involved in the importation and distribution of the opioid were arrested.
The raid, conducted on June 10th, led to the seizure of 82,000 bottles of codeine syrup worth more than N600 million, as well as a Toyota Tacoma truck and two buses used for distribution.
Additionally, on June 12th, NDLEA operatives intercepted Ibrahim Abdulhamid with 29,100 pills of tramadol and other opioids at Alaba Suru, Ojo Local Council Area.
In Kano, a total of 230,600 pills of tramadol were recovered from Yasir Rabi’u, 23, and Abubakar Ado, 30, who were arrested on June 10th. Another suspect, Hassan Abdullahi Ali, 25, was caught with 150 bottles of codeine syrup on June 11th.
Meanwhile, in Ogun State, NDLEA operatives seized 390 kg of cannabis and arrested three individuals during a raid in Ibese on June 10th.
Two days later, officers raided a skuchies production factory in Shagamu, arresting seven suspects and seizing 387 litres of skuchies, 70 litres of industrial codeine, 25 kg of cannabis, and various quantities of other drugs.
In Edo State, NDLEA officers destroyed over 10,534 kg of cannabis on 4.213 hectares of farmland during a raid on June 12th, arresting four suspects. In a similar operation in Ekiti State on June 14th, 18,425 kg of cannabis was destroyed on 7.37 hectares of farmland.
In Abuja, operatives arrested two suspects with 3,550 bottles of “Akuskura,” a new mixture of psychotropic substances, during a raid on June 14th.
In Benue State, Emmanuel Ogechi, 24, was arrested with 11,200 pills of tramadol on June 12th, while in Anambra State, Anayo Onwe, 40, was arrested with 62.4 kg of cannabis sativa, and 1 kg of methamphetamine was seized. In Kwara State, Muhammed Musa, 24, was arrested with 33 kg of cannabis, and in Oyo State, Shokuro Adeola, 59, was arrested with 11.5 kg of cannabis.
The NDLEA also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities across the country, targeting schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers for their operational successes and urged them to continue their efforts in reducing drug supply and demand.
