The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that its operatives have raided the Lagos base of a high-profile cocaine syndicate where large consignments of the class A drug meant for export and local distribution were recovered.
According to the Agency, the syndicate is headed by a couple, Agbakoba John Mmadu, and Agbakoba Ijeoma Chinwe as well as their associate, Okoye Ifeoma Maryjane.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
He said the raid which was 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.
The 54-year-old Mmadu was reportedly apprehended at Ago Palace Way in Okota area, while his wife, Agbakoba Ijeoma Chinwe, 39, and associate, Okoye Ifeoma 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 3rd July 2024.
The Agency disclosed that while seven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 7.652 kilograms were recovered from Mmadu at Ago Palace Way, not less than one hundred and twenty-two (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 ₦2.1 billion in street value.
In the same vein, NDLEA said its operatives in Benue state on Thursday 4th July intercepted a consignment of 350 grams of cocaine at a check point along Enugu road, Otukpo. The illicit drug was concealed in an MP3 speaker sent as a waybill parcel.
It added that a swift follow-up operation at Flight motor park in Otukpo led to the arrest of the owner, 25-year-old Odeh Anthony.