The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has dismantled two major drug cartels behind six different consignments of cocaine concealed in walls of stainless cups, body cream and hair gel containers
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.
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Mr Babafemi said that the arrest followed a series of intelligence-led operations that lasted over three weeks across Lagos.
He said that the operation also led to the arrest of five suspects and ultimately the arrowhead of the syndicate, Hammed Ode, who represented himself as a businessman and real estate developer.
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The spokesman added that the beginning of the end of the criminal syndicate’s operations began on 16 September when NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine.
According to him, the drugs which weighed 13.40 kilograms were concealed in the walls of cocoa butter body cream containers.
Mr Babafemi said that a cargo agent was promptly arrested adding that further investigations revealed Hammed Ode as the mastermind of the shipment.
According to him, after weeks of intelligence, it was established that the suspected drug baron had reported a dispute at the Zone 2 headquarters of the police in Lagos.
He said the NDLEA sought the cooperation of the police to get the suspect into custody.
“During his preliminary interview, Alhaji Hammed Ode admitted ownership of the consignment which he claimed he bought at over N150 million.
“He claimed to be a businessman and estate developer following his return from the United Kingdom in 2024.
“He had lived for over 27 years in many European countries including Austria, Netherlands, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia before settling in the UK,” Mr Babafemi said.
In like manner, five other desperate attempts by another criminal syndicate to export cocaine consignments to the United Kingdom were also frustrated by operatives of the MMIA Strategic Command of NDLEA.
Mr Babafemi said that the unravelling of the gang started on 26 September following the seizure of cocaine weighing 2.10kg concealed in the walls of hair cream containers at the export shed of the Lagos airport.
He said that the apprehension of a cargo agent led to the arrest of the consignor, Smith Korede, a furniture maker, on Tuesday, 30 September at his 3 Arowojobe St., Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos base.
This, he said, was where another consignment of 1.40kg of cocaine meant for export to the UK was recovered from him.
“Same day, another consignment of 1.00kg cocaine with a similar mode of concealment also going to the U,K was also intercepted at the export shed of the airport.
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“The cargo agent arrested in connection with the 1.00kg cocaine also identified Smith Korede as the consignor, bringing to three the number of seized cocaine consignments linked to the suspect,” he said.
Mr Babafemi said that two other cocaine-laden consignments going to the UK were also intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the MMIA on Thursday, 2 October.
He said that two suspects, Ogunbiyi Oluseye and Popoola Olumuyiwa, linked to the seizures were promptly arrested.
“One of the consignments contains crayfish, and 12 pieces of stainless cups used to conceal 1.00kg of cocaine.
“The second consignment also contains crayfish, and 36 containers of hair cream used to conceal 1.60kg of cocaine,” he said.
(NAN)
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