NDLEA arrests drug baroness, 4 others in Lagos raid

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a drug baroness and four other suspected traffickers in Lagos.

The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said the suspects were arrested by operatives of the agency’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU).

He added that the leader of one of the syndicates, Faith Ebele Nwankwo, was arrested at her residence in the Festac area of Lagos on August 9.

The spokesman said: “Nwankwo was arrested shortly after she returned from a warehouse at Plot 3432 Sola Akinsola Street, Divine Estate, Amuwo Odofin, where she loaded eight cartons of Tramadol 225mg into an unmarked white Honda Pilot SUV.

“A search of her residence and the warehouse led to the recovery of 2,750,000 pills of Tramaking, a brand of Tramadol 225mg and 250mg packed in 39 cartons weighing 1,916 kg.

The drugs and the SUV were recovered while the suspect was taken into custody.

READ ALSO: NDLEA seizes 156,575 tramadol pills in 5 states, FCT

“Another syndicate involved in the importation, exportation, and distribution of cocaine and Canadian Loud was earlier busted on August 4, after its members were tracked to Atlantic Nominee Estate in the Lekki-Ajah area of Lagos and were caught red-handed with a Toyota Highlander SUV loaded with 8.49kg of cocaine and 10.3 kg of Canadian Loud that were about to be distributed.

“The duo of Urama Chinemelum Precious, 32, and Adelakun Ilelabayo Oluade, 55, were nabbed immediately. A follow-up operation by NDLEA operatives at the residence of the first Chinemelum at House 7, Road 7, Lagra Estate in Eti-Osa further led to the recovery of an additional 18 blocks of Loud weighing 18.5kg.

“The third syndicate was busted the following day, August 5, when the duo of Udeh Vincent Ogbonna, 53, and Okonkwo Ifeanyi Uzozie, 50, were arrested at a commercial bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba.

“They were at the point of sending 25kg of ephedrine hydrochloride to the South-East. The duo were part of a syndicate involved in the importation, distribution, and diversion of the precursor chemical used for the production of methamphetamine.”

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