•Intercepts $20m counterfeit notes in Abuja
By Emma Njoku
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), last Saturday, seized another multi-billion naira worth of illicit drugs in a warehouse at the International Trade Fair Complex, Alaba, Ojo area of Lagos State.
The agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said illicit drugs recovered from the warehouse owned by a wanted billionaire drug baron, included: 1.4 million (1,400,000) pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 826kgs; 3.2 million (3,200,000) pills of codeine with 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 N4,820,500,000 only.
“During the operation that lasted hours, a suspect, Paulinus Ojukwu, who is the Chief Security Officer to the wanted drug baron, who parades as automobile spare parts dealer, was arrested and now assisting ongoing investigation.
“The latest drug warehouse bust is coming on the heels of the arrest of a drug baroness, Faith Ebele Nwankwo, who was nabbed on Wednesday, August 9, with 2,750,000 pills of tramaking, 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,” Babafemi said.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives, last Friday, 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, Onyebuchi Nlededin, was arrested.
“The previous day, Thursday, 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 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 last Wednesday,” Babaemi further stated.
In Osun, NDLEA operatives, in the early hours of last 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: Sunday Otogbo, 40, and Peter Andel Makra, 35, were arrested inside the cannabis farms. Additional 30kg cannabis weeds and 16.9kg of cannabis seeds were also recovered from the farms.
At least, three suspects: Ndubuisi Okorie, 44; Ebilima Emmanuel, 38, and 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 last Saturday.
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 on a follow-up operation in the Oyigbo area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, led to the arrest of the owner of the consignment, Remigius Ogechukwu, 33.
While a teenager, Boniface Odinakachukwu, 19, was apprehended with 99.4kg skunk at Isikwe Road, Achi, in Oji-River LGA, Enugu State last Friday, a wanted teenage bandit, Aliyu Mohammed Altine, 19, was arrested by NDLEA operatives, along Illela- Sokoto road with some wraps of skunk last Thursday. The suspect, who was on the wanted list of the police, has since been transferred to the police in Sokoto State for further investigation.
While expressing his satisfaction with the professional conduct of the officers and men involved in the Lagos, FCT, Sokoto, Osun, Imo and Enugu operations as well as the results of the raids, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd) charged operatives of the Lagos command to ensure that the fleeing baron is smoked out from his hiding to face charges. He urged them and their colleagues across the country to intensify the heat on drug cartels.