NDLEA arrests Lebanese over alleged illegal drug deals

The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday arrested a Lebanese, Chef Charbel Chalouhi, suspected of using and dealing in drugs.

Chalouhi, of No. 18, Wahab Ogunbambo Street, off Simeon Akinlonu Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos, was arrested following a tip off from worried residents of the area.

He is being held at NDLEA’s Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO Lagos Command, Ikeja.

Also arrested were his Lebanese girlfriend and Nigerian driver, both suspected of being his accomplices.

NDLEA agents, it was learnt trailed Chalouhi and his driver for some time before raiding his home at about 8:00a.m. where they allegedly found at least 1kg of cocaine.

While the Airport Command spokesperson of the agency, Mr. Ahmed Garba, said he was not aware of the incident, the Lagos Area Commander, Aliu Suleiman, confirmed the arrest.

Meanwhile, for allegedly stealing under the guise of swapping a customer SIM card, two Airtel former employees, Isaac Ilupeju and Emmanuel Adeyanju were yesterday arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court sitting in Igbosere.

The duo were arraigned by the police on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing N198,000 under guise of swapping a customer’s SIM card.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge read to them.

Stating the fact of the case before the arraignment, the prosecutor, Sergeant Chinedu Njoku, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences between July 10 and July 20, 2018 at 4:00p.m. at Diamond Bank Plc, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Njoku said the defendants unlawfully swapped the complainant, Abdullahi Musa’s Airtel SIM card number and used the number to withdraw the sum of N198,000 from the complainant’s Diamond Bank account.

Their offences contravened Sections 287 (1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Following their plea of not guilty, the Magistrate, Mrs. Folashade Botoku, admitted them on bail in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

She ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed, must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State government and have their addresses verified.

She subsequently adjourned the matter till October 12, 2018.