By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Saturday seized multi-billion naira worth of illicit drugs at a warehouse tucked in the midst of the popular International Trade Fair Complex, Alaba, Ojo area of Lagos.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the media officer of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday.
According to the statement, 1.4 million pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 826kgs; 3.2 million pills of codeine with a gross weight of 3,360kgs; and 2,841 cartons of codeine syrup containing 284,100 bottles with 28,410 litres of the psychoactive substance, with a combined street value of N4.8 billion were recovered from the warehouse owned by a suspected billionaire drug baron.
It was revealed that during the operation that lasted hours, a suspect, Mrs Paulinus Ojukwu, who is Chief Security Officer to the wanted suspect, who parades as an automobile spare parts dealer, was arrested and now assisting in ongoing investigation.
The latest drug warehouse bust is coming on the heels of the arrest of Mrs Faith Ebele Nwankwo, who was nabbed on Wednesday, August 9, with 2.7 million pills of Tramadol, a brand of tramadol 225mg and 250mg recovered from her residence at House 6, C close, 3rd Avenue, Festac area of Lagos and a warehouse located at Plot 3432 Sola Akinsola Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Friday, August 18, intercepted $20 million suspected to be counterfeit during a stop and search operation along Abaji – Lokoja Road within the Federal Capital Territory.
The suspected fake money was recovered from a bus coming from Lagos to Abuja, while the 53-year-old driver of the vehicle, Mr Onyebuchi Nlededin, was arrested.
The previous day, Thursday, August 17, the NDLEA said that Mr Jude Ndubuisi, 52, was arrested with 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine during a raid operation at Kabusa village, FCT.
The suspect was initially arrested with 20.75kg of 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 on Wednesday, August 16.
In Osun, NDLEA operatives, in the early hours of Saturday, destroyed clusters of cannabis farms measuring about 3.49000 hectares (over 7.5 tons) at Mopatedo in the Ifedayo local government area of the state.
Two suspects: Mr Sunday Otogbo, 40, and Mr Peter Andel Makra, 35, were arrested inside the cannabis farms. An additional 30kg of cannabis weeds and 16.9kg of cannabis seeds were also recovered from the farms.
At least three suspects: Mr Ndubuisi Okorie, 44; Mr Ebilima Emmanuel, 38, and Mr 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, August 19.
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 on Sunday, August 13, while a follow-up operation in the Oyigbo area of Port Harcourt, Rivers state led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Mr Remigius Ogechukwu, 33.
While a teenager, Mr Boniface Odinakachukwu, 19, was apprehended with 99.4kg skunk at Isikwe Road, Achi in Oji-River LGA, Enugu state on Friday, August 18, a wanted teenage bandit, Mr Aliyu Mohammed Altine, 19, was arrested by NDLEA operatives along Illela- Sokoto road with some wraps of skunk on Thursday, August 17. The suspect, who is on the wanted list of the police, has since been transferred to the police in Sokoto state for further investigation.
