The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted two parcels, containing Cocaine and Amphetamine concealed in steel bolts and shea butter.
The NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI) attached to a courier firm in Lagos made the Wednesday 15th May, 2024.
Its Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued Sunday revealed that the cocaine weighing 587 grams, was concealed in eight steel bolt screws going to China, while the Amphetamine consignment packed in vape pens and hidden in shea butter was going to the United Kingdom.
He added that attempt by Emeka Nwadiaro (a.k.a Mega) to export 3.6kg Loud, a strain of cannabis concealed in 36 water flasks to Dubai, UAE was also thwarted at a logistic company in Port Harcourt, Rivers state on Thursday 16th Ma.
Babafemi noted that a swift follow up operation led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Emeka Nwadiaro in Onitsha, Anambra state, the same day.
He added that NDLEA operatives in Lagos also intercepted a mercedes benz bus loaded with 840kg cannabis and arrested the driver, Samuel Henry, at Olojo in Ojo LGA, Lagos.
Babafemi noted that another suspect, Lawal Adam was nabbed along Otukpo road, Aliade, Benue state on Friday 17th May with 75,000 pills of opioids including tramadol and exol-5.
He said two suspects: Olisa Etisi, 32, and Jonathan Umeh, 25, were arrested along Owerri – Onitsha road, Imo state following the discovery by NDLEA operatives of a big gas cyclinder used to conceal six blocks of Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 3.85kg.
The spokesperson disclosed that a couple, Kazeem Owoalade (alias Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun) and Rashidat Owoalade (alias Bolarinwa Rashidat Ayinke), who runs a cocaine cartel from India have been declared wanted by NDLEA following the arrest of four members of the syndicate in Lagos where a Sports Utility Vehicle was recovered and two houses already traced to them sealed for forfeiture to the Federal Government.
He said two members of the syndicate: Imran Taofeek Olalekan and Ishola Isiaka Olalekan were arrested on April 3, 2024 following their bid to export 3.40kg cocaine on a Qatar Airlines flight going to Oman through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos.
Babafemi stressed that while Imran was the courier conveying the drug consignment to Oman, Ishola recruited him for the head of the cartel, which investigation has now revealed to be Alhaji Kazeem Owoalade whose Indian residence permit bears Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun based in India.
He said: “Efforts to dismantle his network in Nigeria paid off after five weeks of surveillance and follow up operations when another member of the syndicate, Hamed Abimbola Saheed who works directly with the baron was arrested on Tuesday 14th May at Abule Egba area of Lagos.
“It was indeed Saheed who lodged Imran in a hotel a day before his aborted trip to Oman and equally dropped him and Ishola at the Lagos airport the day they were arrested.
“During a search of Hamed house, NDLEA operatives recovered some phenacetin, a cutting agent for Cocaine, weighing 900 grams. He confessed that the recovered substance was what was left of the consignment Imran was taking to Oman the day he was arrested.
“His arrest led to a follow up operation at the home of the Owoalade couple at 20 Eyiaro street, Ogudu Orioke, Lagos where another suspect was arrested and a new model Toyota RAV4 SUV marked FKJ-773 JJ belonging to Rashidat and additional 400 grams of Cocaine recovered in addition to already prepared suitcases to be used for illicit drug concealment, digital weighing scales and other paraphernalia.”