The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate in intelligence operations that lasted three weeks.
The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
He said cocaine consignments concealed in tins of palm kernel extract were seized in the operations.
Babafemi said the drugs heading to the United Kingdom were intercepted and the warehouse where the shipments were packaged raided.
He added that all the three layers of the group were unraveled leading to the arrest of the baron.
According to the spokesman, the breakthrough began on March 11 when NDLEA officers attached to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command Ikeja Lagos intercepted 3.10 kilogrammes of cocaine at the export shed of the airport.
“The illicit substance was meticulously hidden inside tins of palm kernel extract intended for shipment to the UK. Two suspects handling the shipment were promptly arrested.
“To unravel the sender and the arrowhead of the drug syndicate, a well-coordinated sting operation was carried out on Thursday, April 2 leading to the arrest of the sender of the consignment, who operates under a fake identity.
“His arrest provided the link to the syndicate’s head, 52-year-old King Arinze who was flushed out of a hideout in the Isolo area of Lagos.
“He was thereafter taken to his warehouse at 11, Ola Ifa Street, Bucknor, Isolo where NDLEA operatives recovered 886 tins of palm kernel extract prepared for drug concealment.
“Industrial tools including a sealing machine, tin openers; paint sprays; 52 grams of cannabis sativa and a pack of hand gloves were also recovered.The suspect has since confessed to personally draining the oil from the tins to conceal the cocaine,” he stated.
In a separate operation in Borno, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday intercepted a female drug supplier to bandit groups operating between the North-East and Chad.
Babafemi said the suspect was arrested along Gamboru-Ngala road in possession of 4.3 kilogrammes of Colorado, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis.
A pastor in charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, Agonvi Sea Beach, Sakpo area of Seme border, Badagry in Lagos state, and his wife, were arrested by NDLEA operatives at Gbaji checkpoint on Thursday.
Babafemi said a search of their Honda Pilot SUV led to the recovery of blocks of skunk weighing 11 kilogrammes concealed in hidden parts of their vehicle.
“The arrest of the couple followed the apprehension of a fake security agent at the same checkpoint on Monday while conveying 24.5kg skunk from Seme border to Lagos,” he stated.
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