Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA on Saturday 19th August raided a warehouse in the International Trade Fair Complex, Alaba, Ojo area of Lagos and seized multi-billion naira worth of illicit drugs .
A statement by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi on Sunday stated that the warehouse belonged to a wanted billionaire drug baron.
He listed Illicit drugs recovered from the warehouse to include: 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 Four Billion Eight Hundred and Twenty Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N4,820,500,000) only.
He added that during the operation that lasted hours, a suspect, Paulinus Ojukwu, who is 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 9th August with Two Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand (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.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Friday 18th August intercepted Twenty Million US Dollar notes ($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 17th August, 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 7th July 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 on Wednesday 16th August.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed 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.
