Businessman ‘sells assets for N23m cocaine deal’, arrested at Lagos airport
A 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Onyebuchi, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.55kg of cocaine to India.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said in a statement on Sunday that the suspect, who deals in marble in Lagos, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal II while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.
Babafemi said the cocaine was concealed in the side walls and railings of the suspect’s check-in bag.
According to him, Onyebuchi confessed that he had sold his marble business and other assets to raise N23 million to purchase the consignment.
He allegedly intended to sell the cocaine in India for as much as N100 million.
Babafemi said the suspect was subsequently taken into custody and would face prosecution.
He added that operatives in a separate operation raided a warehouse in a residential compound at Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago Palace area of Okota, Lagos.
According to him, the operation, conducted between Friday and Saturday, resulted in the seizure of 3,776 cartons containing 377,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
The NDLEA spokesperson said the controlled substance is valued at more than N2.6 billion, adding that operatives also arrested a 55-year-old suspected drug kingpin, Shoremi Kayode, during a raid on his residence at Ipaja Estate, Lagos.
He said 324kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, with an estimated street value of N972 million, was recovered.
Two vehicles — a Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota Corolla — were also seized.
LARGE OPIOID SEIZURES IN KWARA, OYO
In Kwara state, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives arrested Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, at Kam Wire area of Ilorin on Thursday.
He said the suspects were allegedly found with 55.96kg of skunk in a truck marked DKA 350 XL, while in Oyo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway arrested 70-year-old Abdulfatai Oyelaran and Abdulrauf Ajadi, 50.
He said 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection were recovered from their Toyota Sienna.
In another operation along the Onitsha-Asaba Expressway, NDLEA operatives arrested Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18.
Recovered from the suspects were 124,100 pills of tramadol, 786 bottles of codeine syrup, 2,598 tablets of rohypnol, 4,800 tablets of diazepam, 470 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 ampoules of tramadol.
Another suspect, Emeka Tony, 50, was arrested along the Kwale-Ozoro Expressway with 1,244 cartridges and N8 million in cash, according to the agency.
