NDLEA raids drug warehouses, recovers N4.8billion worth opioids

Operatives of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), have raided suspected drug warehouses in various parts of Lagos State, Kogi, Osun and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja among others, recovering drugs worth N4.8 billion.

In a communique signed by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, it is stated that multi-billion naira worth of illicit drugs were again seized at a warehouse tucked in the midst of popular International Trade Fair Complex, Alaba, Ojo area of Lagos, at the weekend.

A warehouse owned by a wanted billionaire drug baron had 1.4 million (1,400,000) pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 826kgs, 3.2 million (3, 200, 000) pills of codeine weighing of 3, 360kgs and 2, 841 cartons of codeine syrup containing 284,100 bottles with 28,410 litres of the psychoactive substance valued at combined four billion eight hundred and twenty million five hundred thousand naira (N4, 820, 500, 000).

In another operation lasting hours, a suspect, Paulinus Ojukwu, who is Chief Security Officer (CSO), to wanted drug baron parading as automobile spare parts dealer, was arrested and now assisting the ongoing investigation.

These raids are coming on the heels of the arrest of a drug baroness, Faith Ebele Nwankwo, who was earlier nabbed on Wednesday, August 9th, in Lagos.

According to the statement, twenty million US dollar notes ($20 million) suspected to be counterfeits, were seized by the NDLEA during a stop and search along the Abaji-LLokoja road in the Federal Capital Territory.

The suspected fake money was recovered from a bus coming from Lagos to Abuja at the weekend and 53-year-old driver of the vehicle, Onyebuchi Nlededin was arrested

At Kabusa village, FCT, Jude Ndubuisi, 52, was arrested with 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine during a raid operation at The suspect was initially arrested with 20.75kg cannabis on July 7, 2022, and was on court bail following his ongoing prosecution when he was nabbed for yet another drug crime.

Another raid of two notorious drug joints within the FCT: Dei Dei and Tora-Bora Hills, led to the recovery of 82.8kg skunk, 1.8kg rohypnol and 1.2kg diazepam.

Similar raids and arrests were carried out in Osun State, destroying clusters of cannabis farms measuring about 3.49000 hectares (over 7.5 tons) at Mopatedo in Ifedayo local government area of the State.

Two suspects: Sunday Otogbo, 40, and Peter Andel Makra, 35, were arrested inside the cannabis farms, additional 30kg cannabis weeds and 16.9kg of cannabis seeds were also recovered from the farms.

Three other suspects, Ndubuisi Okorie, 44; Ebilima Emmanuel, 38, and Okechukwu Anthony Smart, 40, were arrested in connection with the seizure of 168kg cannabis consignment from them when their vehicle was intercepted along Owerri-Onitsha expressway, Imo state on Saturday.

Another shipment of controlled drugs containing 6,000 capsules of tramadol, 1,200 tablets of swinol, 155 bottles of codeine syrup and 20 tabs of Molly was equally seized on the same road at the weekend in a follow-up operation in Oyigbo area of Port Harcourt, Rivers state leading to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Remigius Ogechukwu, 33.

A teenager, Boniface Odinakachukwu, 19, was apprehended with 99.4kg skunk at Isikwe Road, Achi in Oji-River LGA, Enugu state on Friday and a wanted teenage bandit, Aliyu Mohammed Altine, 19, was arrested by NDLEA operatives along Illela- Sokoto road with some wraps of skunk on Thursday 17th August. The suspect who is on the wanted list of the police has since been transferred to the police in Sokoto state for further investigation.

Expressing his satisfaction with the professional conduct of officers and men of the agency, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba-Marwa (Retd) charged the operatives operatives to ensure that the fleeing baron is smoked out from his hiding to face charges.

He urged them and their colleagues across the country to intensify the fight against drug cartels.