At least five alleged drug barons including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager were arrested in the well-coordinated and intelligence led operation that lasted two days.
Nigeria's anti-narcotic agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in joint force with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration has made what appears to be a record singular cocaine seizure in the country.
It was gathered that operatives of NDLEA and the US DEA busted a major warehouse in a secluded estate in Ikorodu area of Lagos State, Nigeria where not less than 1.8tons (1,855 kilograms) of illicit drug worth N194billion were packed, TVC News reports.
At least five alleged drug barons including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager were arrested in the well-coordinated and intelligence led operation that lasted two days.
The arrested suspects during the operation include Soji Jibril, 69, from Ibadan, Oyo State; Emmanuel Chukwu, 65, from Ekwulobia in Anambra State; Wasiu Akinade, 53, from Ibadan, Oyo state; Sunday Oguntelure, 53, from Okitipupa in Ondo State and Kelvin Smith, 42, from Kingston, Jamaica.
The suspects are said to be members of an international drug syndicate that the agency has been trailing since 2018.
The warehouse located at Olukuola crescent, Solebo Estate in Ikorodu area of Lagos was raided by the operatives on Sunday, while the barons were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between Sunday night and Monday.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the class A drugs were warehoused in the residential estate from where the cartel was trying to sell them to buyers in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world. They were stored in 10 travel bags and 13 drums.
While commending all the officers and men of the Agency involved in the extensive investigation including those of the American Drug Enforcement Administration, (US-DEA), Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd.) said the bust was a historical blow to the drug cartels.