Again, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives have smashed an international drug syndicate with networks in some parts of Nigeria, South Africa, and Thailand and arrested five suspects in the process.
The members of the cartel were arrested after two-week intelligence-led operations in Lagos, Abia, and Anambra states following the seizure of their illicit drug consignments at the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.
The unravelling of the drug cartel started on Sunday, 20th April when their cargo of four big suitcases arrived at the NAHCO shed on an Air Peace airline flight from Johannesburg, South Africa.
After days of close monitoring and investigation, the first suspect, Umeh Chisom Peter was arrested on Wednesday 24th April after he showed up to pick up two of the suitcases containing Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis owned by a Thailand-based member of the syndicate, Obum Michael.
The consignment of four parcels was concealed in false bottoms of the two suitcases, while the four suitcases contained a total of 17.6 kilograms of Loud and drug candies.
Another member of the syndicate, Mrs. Chiwendu Uche Ugbe whose South Africa-based husband, Aloytus Uche Ugbe sent some of the consignments, was traced to Anambra state where NDLEA officers arrested her on Saturday 27th April while attempting to collect the drug parcels sent to her by her husband.
Two other suspects: Onyejakor Francis Chimezie and Naaji Valentine Chukwukere, with links to the cartel, were also arrested in parts of Lagos on Monday 29th April.
Their arrest, according to Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA disclosed in Abuja on Sunday that the arrest led to another operation in Abia state where Mrs. Chinazo Osigwe was arrested when she was to pick up some of the parcels containing Loud and drug candies sent by her husband, Osigwe Chidiebere Anthony who is equally operating from South Africa.
While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, FCT, Kano, Kaduna, Osun, Seme, Bayelsa, Bauchi, and Benue Commands of the Agency for their outstanding feats in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) equally applauded their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures.
