Image: The Punch.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has arrested five leaders of a drugs syndicate operating in different parts of the world.
During the special operation that lasted for weeks, varying quantities of skunk, methamphetamine, and ephedrine as well as air compressors used to hide and distribute the illicit drugs worldwide were seized, NDLEA disclosed.
NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement, said that the cartel leaders operated across the United Arab Emirates, Benin Republic, Togo, Oman, Thailand, the European continent, and in Anambra, Imo, and Lagos states.
Babafemi said that while on Christmas holiday, the cartel leaders coordinated their efforts from different parts of Nigeria, to dispatch some illicit drugs consignments to Dubai and other parts of the world.
However, the arrest of their freight agent, Onyeisue Chukwudi by NDLEA operatives on December, 29 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, sparked further investigations that led to the cartel leaders' arrest.
The freight agent was arrested while trying to export three big automobile air compressors to Dubai.
Additional five compressors were later recovered from his home at 24 Legacy Road, Ayobo, Lagos, following a search.
27.50kgs of skunk were found in the air compressors after they were cut open with the use of welding tools.
NDLEA subsequently tracked down the first kingpin, Onuoha Obioma who resides in the Benin Republic and Togo but visited Lagos occasionally.
He was arrested on January 7, with a bag containing 15.7kg of skunk and methamphetamine concealed in more air compressors.
His confessions led to the arrest of two other cartel leaders –Ugo Kelechi based in Dubai, and Iwueke Ugochukwu aka Odogwu, a businessman living in Anambra state.
The two were arrested by the NDLEA on January 10 at their ancestral homes in Umuobi village in Ikperejere community, Ihitte-Uboma LGA, Imo state.
A Lexus SUV and a Toyota jeep were recovered from them.
Finally, following days of surveillance, the NDLEA on January 14 caught the cartel boss, Ezenwekwe Obinna, at a bar in Mazamaza, Mile 2.
Ezenwekwe ran an automobile parts business at Alaba International Market, Lagos.
“A search of his home led to the recovery of 607g of ephedrine, a handful of cannabis weighing 20g as well as other paraphernalia, including 271g of dimethyl sulfone used as a cutting agent for ephedrine,” Babafemi said.
The Agency said it also recovered from him a chemical precursor and an active ingredient for the production of methamphetamine, a weighing scale, and an international passport.
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