NDLEA smashes drug syndicates, nabs Chinese, Nigerians

In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA said operatives also arrested the kingpins of the drug syndicates including some Chinese national and their Nigerian collaborators.

Babafemi said a 50-year-old businessman, Osuoha Christian Iheanacho, was arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for ingesting 90 wraps of cocaine.

He said: “Osuoha was intercepted on Wednesday 20th November 2024 at the arrival hall of the Enugu airport during the inbound screening of passengers arriving from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on an Ethiopian airlines flight following months of intelligence and surveillance on him.

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“He was subsequently placed on excretion observation during which he egested 90 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.019 kilograms in seven excretions.

“Investigation reveals that the suspect who operates phone and accessories business in Lagos and Gabon, Central Africa, travelled by road from Gabon to Douala, Cameroon, from where he took a flight to Addis Ababa where he swallowed the pellets of cocaine while in transit and thereafter continued his journey to Enugu with Lagos as his final destination.

“He deliberately complicated his movement to distort traces of his travel history unknown to him that he has been on NDLEA watchlist for the past three months.

“In his statement, Osuoha said he desperately needed the money from the criminal drug trade to boost his declining phone and accessories business.

‘In another well-coordinated operation carried out by a Special Operations Unit of the Agency on Thursday 21st November, head of a cocaine distribution cartel, 42-year-old Ndive Maxwell Obinna was arrested along with five of his associates at Ago Palace Way in Okota, Isolo, Lagos. A total of 2.412 kilograms of cocaine were recovered from them.

“Other members of the drug trafficking organization arrested along Obinna include: Okeke Gloria Ifeoma who is the syndicate’s stash keeper; Ikechebelu Emmanuel Chibuzor; Okorie Onyedikachi; Okonkwo Nnabugo Prince; and Okafor Blessing Anita.

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“In a related development, another drug syndicate operated by a Chinese man, 58-year-old Tianzhen Yen (alias Jackie) has been dismantled by NDLEA operatives following his arrest at his hotel in Ikeja area of Lagos.

“Officers of the Seme Special Area Command of the Agency had on Thursday 21st November intercepted a 40-year-old suspect, Yakubu Emmanuel Mark in a commercial bus going to Ghana at the Gbaji checkpoint along Badagry-Seme expressway based on credible intelligence.

“When he was searched, a total of 750grams of cocaine were found in his bag. A swift follow up operation was organized to trace and arrest the kingpin behind the trans-border drug trafficking syndicate, who turned out to be a Chinese citizen, Tianzhen Yen.

“He was eventually traced to MC Hotel behind Alade market, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos. When his hotel room was searched, 4.3grams of cocaine; a gram of methamphetamine; two electronic weighing scales; and Chinese National Identification Number Card, among other exhibits were recovered while he was arrested in the vicinity of the hotel.

“At the Tincan seaport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday 22nd November intercepted 92 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis with a combined weight of 23.25kg concealed in two vehicles imported from Canada: a Nissan car and a GMC bus. The discovery was made during a joint examination of a container from Canada by NDLEA officers, men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other stakeholders.”

NDLEA smashes drug syndicates, nabs Chinese, Nigerians