NDLEA busts three syndicates in Lagos, arrests drug baroness, four kingpins

 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully dismantled three illicit drug syndicates operating within Lagos State. This commendable achievement was recently announced by Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, through an official statement issued on a Sunday.

Babafemi revealed that the coordinated efforts of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of NDLEA led to the dismantling of these three major drug trafficking networks.

A significant breakthrough was the arrest of Faith Ebele Nwankwo, a female leader of one of the syndicates. On August 9, NDLEA operatives apprehended her at her residence located at House 6, C Close, 3rd Avenue, Festac area of Lagos. She was intercepted shortly after returning from a warehouse at Plot 3432 Sola Akinsola Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin. Here, she had loaded eight cartons of tramadol 225mg into an unmarked white Honda Pilot SUV. A search of her residence and the warehouse yielded an astonishing discovery: 2,750,000 pills of Tramaking, a brand of Tramadol 225mg and 250mg, packed within 39 cartons, with a total weight of 1,916 kg. The drugs, SUV, and the suspect were taken into custody, marking a significant dent in the syndicate's operations.

Another syndicate dealing in cocaine and Canadian Loud faced a similar fate on August 4. Tracked to Atlantic Nominee Estate in the Lekki-Ajah area, the members were apprehended in possession of a Toyota Highlander SUV loaded with 8.49kg of cocaine and 10.3 kg of Canadian Loud, intended for distribution. The arrest of Urama Chinemelum Precious, 32, and Adelakun Ilelabayo Oluade, 55, was followed by a subsequent operation at Chinemelum's residence in Eti-Osa, leading to the recovery of an additional 18 blocks of Loud, weighing a total of 18.5kg.

The third syndicate's downfall occurred on August 5 when Udeh Vincent Ogbonna, 53, and Okonkwo Ifeanyi Uzozie, 50, were apprehended at a commercial bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba. Their capture came just as they were about to dispatch 25kg of ephedrine hydrochloride to the Southeast. This duo was part of a larger syndicate engaged in the importation, distribution, and diversion of precursor chemicals used in methamphetamine production.

The dismantling of these syndicates underscores the relentless efforts of NDLEA in curbing drug-related crimes and maintaining the safety of the community.