The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made cocaine seizures worth $278m in Lagos, the highest in Nigeria’s history.
The agency, on Monday, announced the bust of a major warehouse in an estate in the Ikorodu area of Lagos and seized about 1.8tons (1,855 kilograms) of the illicit drug, worth more than $278, 250,000.
The spokesman of the anti-narcotic agency, Femi Babafemi said four barons, including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager, were arrested in an intelligence-led operation that lasted two days across different locations in Lagos.
Babafemi explained that they are all members of an international drug syndicate that the NDLEA has been trailing since 2018.
He said they were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between Sunday night and Monday.
According to the spokesman, the kingpins are Soji Jibril, 69, an indigene of Ibadan, Oyo; Emmanuel Chukwu 65, from Ekwulobia, Anambra; Wasiu Akinade, 53, from Ibadan, Oyo; Sunday Oguntelure, 53, from Okitipupa, Ondo and Kelvin Smith, 42, a native of Kingston, Jamaica.
The spokesman further said the warehouse which is located at 6 Olukuola crescent inside Solebo estate in Ikorodu, was raided on Sunday 18th September.
According to him, the drugs kept in the residence are sold to buyers in Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world. They were stored in 10 travel bags and 13 drums.
