The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled an international drug trafficking ring that operated across Nigeria, the UK, Brazil, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Following a two-week intelligence-led operation in Lagos, agents arrested three of the cartel’s leaders.
The arrests came after the NDLEA intercepted a major shipment of cocaine, hidden in textile materials and local charms, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.
The drugs were headed for Sydney, Australia.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, stated that the investigation began on August 26.
That day, NDLEA officers at the airport’s export shed intercepted 76 cartons of textiles destined for Sydney, leading to the unraveling of the entire syndicate.
The statement reads: “A thorough search of the shipment led to the recovery of 16 big blocks of cocaine weighing 17.9 kilograms hidden in the lace materials parked with local charms to provide spiritual cover against law enforcement detection.
“A freight agent and member of the syndicate, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji was the first to be arrested.
“The consignment was expected to fetch the syndicate an estimated street value of over 5.3 million Australian Dollars, equivalent of N5.3 billion.
“Fast-paced investigation of the operations of the IOCG quickly unmasked other leaders of the group: Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi and Shola Adegoke.
“Ogunbiyi who is the arrowhead of the syndicate in Nigeria was arrested at a hotel in Ikeja GRA on Wednesday, September 3, and swiftly taken to his house in Lekki area of Lagos where a search led to the recovery of 21 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis with a total weight of 10.90kg and a double-barreled pump action gun, with some cartridges.
“A house located at 13 Reverend Ogunbiyi Street, Ikeja GRA, where the criminal group use to package illicit drugs for export was subsequently raided and another leader of the syndicate Shola Adegoke arrested there.”
It also stated : “A black Range Rover SUV marked RBC 459 EJ found in the compound was searched and 17 parcels of Loud weighing 9.60 kilograms were recovered. A black Toyota Venza car with registration number FST 771 JQ was earlier recovered from Ogunbii at the point of his arrest at the hotel.
“Investigations revealed that while Ogunbiyi coordinates operations for the group in Nigeria, one Adebisi Ademola Omoyele (Mr. Bee) who is currently hibernating in Dubai, UAE is identified as the ringleader of the criminal network who coordinates their overseas operations.
“Shola Adegoke was found to have been jailed in the UK in 2021 for dealing in Methamphetamine and subsequently deported to Nigeria in 2024. Ogunbiyi was also found to have served a 14-year-jail term in the UK over a murder case before returning to Nigeria about eight years ago.
“Meanwhile, a Milan Italy-based Nigerian Gabriel Michael was on Friday, September 5, arrested by NDLEA operatives at the departure hall of terminal 1 of the Lagos airport while attempting to board an Air France flight to Italy.
”He was found to have concealed a total of 24,480 pills of tramadol 100mg, 200mg and 225mg, which he claimed he was going to sell for 19,520 euros.
“In another operation, a total of 160,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup were discovered in a 40ft container during a joint examination of the shipment by NDLEA officers and men of Nigeria Customs and other security agencies at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state on Thursday, September 4.”
It added: “The container which has 220 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares used as cover for the codeine syrup was one of the shipments watch-listed and tracked by a special operations unit of NDLEA while the illicit consignment has an estimated street value of over N1.1 billion.
“In the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, NDLEA operatives on a stop and search operation on Thursday, September 4, arrested a dispatch rider Joel Bernard, 32, in Gwarimpa area of the FCT while conveying 3.1kg Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis.
“In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Monday, September 1, arrested the duo of Tunde Ayinla, 47, and Olawale Omotare, 54, while loading four distribution vehicles at their 28 Ola Street, Ijesha Surulere home.
“Recovered from them include: 9kg of Canadian Loud; 5kg of Colorado and 1,101 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 611kg, bringing the total weight of the combined seizures to 625 kilograms.
“In another raid in Lagos, operatives on Friday September 5, arrested a couple: Andy David, 43, and Andy Esther, 44, with 24.4kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis, recovered from their home in Ajegunle area of the state.
“45-year-old Musa Isah was arrested with 53.400kg skunk concealed in two cartons in the trunk of his Toyota Avensus car marked ABC 338 SS in Kogi state. Yunusa Zakari, 23, was nabbed in a follow up operation in Auchi, Edo state on Friday, September 5, in connection with the earlier seizure of 233kg skunk in Kakau, Kaduna state.”
The statement added: “Not less than 11,000 pills of tramadol were recovered from a suspect Ayouk Nelson, 28, when he was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, September 3, at 61 Bida road, Onitsha, Anambra State, just as operatives on patrol along Minna-Bida road Niger state on Tuesday, September 2, intercepted a white Toyota Hilux vehicle.
“A search led to the seizure of 30 bags of skunk weighing 342 kilograms while the driver Afolayan Ayodele, 54, conveying the consignment was arrested.
“In Taraba state, a total of 18,750 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on 7.5 hectares of cannabis plantations at Joro-Ade village, Ardo Kola, LGA on Tuesday, September 2, Owners of the two farms: Mako Zmar, 55, and Sani Titus, 45, were arrested during the operation.”
Across the country, NDLEA Commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse(WADA), sensitisation lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.
Instances include: WADA sensitisation lecture to officers and men of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Lafia, Nasarawa state; ward heads in Kano Municipal Council, Kano state; and members of traditional medicine practitioners association, Awgu local government area, Anambra state.
Additionally, the Kogi state strategic command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Ohi of Ihima and Chairman Okehi LGA council of traditional rulers, HRH Alhaji Abdulraheem Ahmed Ogido, among others.
The NDLEA Chairman/CEO, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the MMIA, PHPC, Lagos, FCT, Anambra, Taraba, Kaduna, Kogi, and Niger Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week.
He also lauded their compatriots in all the commands across the country for intensifying the WADA sensitization lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.
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