National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Lagos businessman and several other suspects over an alleged attempt to export cocaine concealed in food cartons to the United Kingdom.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
Babafemi said the prime suspect, 55-year-old Onuigbo Ndubisi Chinedu, a clothing trader at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, was arrested on July 23 following the interception of a 3.30-kilogramme cocaine consignment at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on July 22.
According to him, the cocaine was carefully concealed in the walls of cartons used to package food items intended for shipment to the United Kingdom.
He said investigations initially led to the arrest of three cargo agents identified as Nkwor Onyekachukwu Justina, Adeleke Abiola Taoheed and Ukanwa Grace Pilgrim, who handled the shipment.
The NDLEA spokesman said the arrest of another suspect, Kenneth Okakpu, who delivered the consignment to the cargo agents, further exposed the alleged syndicate.
He added that Okakpu’s confession helped investigators identify Onuigbo as the alleged mastermind behind the operation, leading to his arrest while attempting to ship another consignment of cocaine to the UK.
In a related development, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives arrested a 31-year-old entrepreneur, Emmanuella Chukwu-Edo, at her residence in Surulere, Lagos, on July 21.
He said the arrest followed the seizure of her 2.80kg consignment of “Loud”, a synthetic strain of cannabis, which arrived from the United States on a United Airlines flight on July 20.
Babafemi also disclosed that NDLEA operatives intercepted another shipment containing tramadol tablets concealed inside containers of black soap.
He said the consignment, which was also destined for the United Kingdom, was intercepted at a courier company in Lagos on July 22.
The NDLEA said the arrests and seizures formed part of its sustained efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and prevent illicit drugs from being exported through the country’s airports and logistics channels.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven operations against drug traffickers and their collaborators across the country.
