Crime
NDLEA arrests two members of Afro-Europe cartel
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two members of a drug cartel that operated between Nigeria, East Africa, and Europe.
In a statement communicated by the director, media and advocacy for the NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi the duo were nabbed in Lagos.
He said NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos made the arrest and foiled the attempts to traffic drugs.
He said on Monday, March 13, the anti-drug agency intercepted a member of the drug syndicate, Ejezie Ifeanyi, during screening of inward passengers on an Ethiopian Airline flight from Malawi via Addis Ababa at the arrival hall.
Babafemi added that a search was conducted on him, saying that it was discovered that one of his two bags had a false bottom concealment.
‘During preliminary interview of the suspect, he confessed that a member of the syndicate was waiting at the airport car park to pick him,” he said.
According to him, an immediate follow up operation led to the arrest of Franco Chukwu, who was waiting in a grey colour Mercedes Benz C180 coupe, marked EKY 973 GQ to receive the drug consignment.
“After his arrest, a proper search of the bag was conducted before the two suspects leading to the recovery of 3.00 kilograms of heroin.
“Findings revealed that the drug syndicate networks operate between Nigeria, and Malawi, Mozambique in East Africa and Europe.
“Chukwu who lives in Lagos is responsible for the recruitment and coordination of the activities of mules on behalf of other members of the cartel based in Mozambique and Malawi, another set operates from the South-Eastern part of Nigeria,” Babafemi said.
