The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has raided the Lagos base of a high-profile cocaine syndicate headed by a couple where large consignments of Class A drug worth N2.1billion meant for export and local distribution were recovered.
The syndicate comprise of the couple Agbakoba John Mmadu, and Agbakoba Ijeoma Chinwe as well as their associate, Okoye Ifeoma Maryjane.
The raid carried out by a special operations unit of the agency, followed months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on the syndicate notorious for packaging, distributing and trafficking of cocaine within and outside Nigeria.
NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi said 54-year-old Mmadu was arrested at Ago Palace Way, Okota while his wife, Chinwe, 39, and associate, Maryjane, 31, who doubles as their stash keeper were nabbed at Plot 2205 Eugene Ndubisi Close, Lilly Estate, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos, all on Wednesday July 3, 2024.
“While seven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 7.652 kilograms were recovered from Mmadu at Ago palace way, not less than 122 compressed pellets of the same drug weighing 2.42kg were seized from the duo of Ijeoma and Ifeoma at Lilly Estate, bringing the total seizure to 10.1 kilograms valued at over N2.1 billion in street value,” Babafemi stated.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Benue State, on Thursday July 4, intercepted a consignment of 350 grams of cocaine at a check point along Enugu road, Otukpo.
The anti-narcotic agency said the illicit drug was concealed in an MP3 speaker sent as a waybill parcel, and a swift follow-up operation at Flight Motor Park in Otukpo, Benue State led to the arrest of the owner, 25-year-old Odeh Anthony.
Meanwhile, NDLEA officers on a ‘stop and search’ operation along Ngurore-Yola Road in Adamawa State on Wednesday July 3, arrested a Chadian, Yves Ahmat Gali in a commercial bus coming from Kano to Yola.
The suspect was found with a loud speaker used to conceal 20 compressed blocks, and nine plastic containers of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 5.200kg.
In Kano, operatives of the NDLEA, on Wednesday July 3, arrested a youth corps member, Yusuf Abdulrahman, 25, at Corpers Lodge, Sumaila area of the city, with 1.250kg of Loud, while in Osun State, the head of Akarabata community in Ile-Ife, Ba’ale Ige Babatunde, 50, was on Friday July 5, arrested with fresh cannabis plants that weighed 5kg.
Two suspects, Monday Ali, 49, and Jimoh Alewi, 37, were arrested when NDLEA operatives raided Ikota forest in Ifedore LGA, Ondo State where a total of 42,500kg cannabis was destroyed on 17 hectares of farmland while 73.5kg of same substance was recovered for the prosecution of the suspects during a five-day operation that ended on Monday July 1, 2024.
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