16th June, 2024
By Ibironke Ariyo
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has busted a cartel controlled by three barons with drugs worth more than N4.1 billion in street value seized by its operatives in an operation in Aba, Abia State.
The cartel is allegedly being controlled by 49-year-old Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi and his 50-year-old elder sister, Ms. Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi, in Aba, Abia State.
The special operation was conducted between June 13 and June 14 at Boundary Avenue and a residence on Ohia road in Aba following months of intelligence gathering, Femi Babafemi, the spokesperson for NDLEA said in a statement on Sunday.
According to the statement, the raid was conducted by officers of the Special Operation Unit of the NDLEA.
Babafemi who is NDLEA’S Director, Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi said the suspects were arrested and the warehouses linked to the drugs were “taken down”.
The agency said further that substances suspected to be cocaine and methamphetamine in consignments were seized.
It said that the drugs could worth more than N4.1 billion in street value.
Babafemi confirmed that the special operation was conducted between June 13 and June 14 at Boundary Avenue and a residence on Ohia road in Aba.
“Months of intelligence gathering led to the arrest of the leaders and the seizure of 20.76 kg of cocaine and methamphetamine from them.
He also said that the operatives of the agency in Lagos State uncovered an expansive warehouse stocked with a large consignment of a substance suspected to be codeine-based syrup located in Kirikiri.
Babafemi said that four persons were suspected to be connected with the importation and distribution of the substance.
He said that they were arrested during an intelligence-led raid on the facility.
“No few than 82,000 bottles of the opioid worth more than N600 million in street value were recovered from them.
“Also, a truck and two buses used for distributing the substance were recovered from the premises on June 10”, he said.(NAN)