Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a convicted cocaine trafficker, who allegedly disguised himself as a herbal tea merchant to facilitate illicit drug shipments to Saudi Arabia.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the suspect was arrested following an intelligence-led investigation into a 1.2kg cocaine consignment intercepted in Lagos.
Babafemi said the cocaine, concealed in phone chargers and destined for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was intercepted at a courier company in Lagos on July 31.
He said operatives of the agency’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) subsequently tracked the alleged mastermind.
The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu, was arrested in a sting operation at Article Market, opposite Trade Fair Market in the Ojo area of Lagos, on Sept. 4.
According to Babafemi, the suspect admitted during interrogation that he masterminded some illicit drug shipments in the past.
He also allegedly told investigators that he discarded his telephone SIM card after learning that his latest consignment had been intercepted.
Babafemi said further investigation revealed that Ebubechukwu had previously been arrested by the agency.
“He was first arrested in 2011 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, after ingesting 900 grammes of cocaine and 130 grammes of heroin in an attempt to fly to Austria under the name Dunu Chukwuyenre Enoch.
“He was prosecuted for the crime, convicted and sentenced to five years in jail. He thereafter changed his name to Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu and returned to the criminal trade,” he said.
The NDLEA spokesman said a search of the suspect’s residence at 6 Yemishola Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, led to the recovery of phone chargers similar to those allegedly used to conceal the intercepted cocaine.
He said the internal components of the chargers had been removed to create space for drugs.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker allegedly being used to conceal cannabis along the Akoko-Lokoja Expressway in Ondo State.
Babafemi said the tanker, marked MKA 960 XC, was intercepted on Sept. 4 after its driver allegedly refused to stop when ordered by NDLEA officers.
He said the driver later abandoned the vehicle at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko and fled into the bush.
A search of the tanker reportedly revealed a concealed compartment containing 165 bags of cannabis weighing 2,145kg.
Babafemi said the cannabis was concealed alongside the legitimate fuel cargo destined for Jos, Plateau State.
He said investigations into both cases were ongoing.
