NDLEA raids drug warehouse, seizes N193bn cocaine in Lagos

Babajide Williams

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have raided a major warehouse in the Ikorodu area of Lagos and seized 1,855 kilograms of illicit drugs estimated to be over US$278.25 million (N194.7 billion).

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that the drug haul from the secluded residential estate was the biggest singular cocaine seizure in the history of the anti-narcotic agency.

Babafemi said that four drug barons, including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager, were arrested in the well-coordinated and intelligence-led operation that lasted two days across different locations in Lagos State.

He said that the kingpins of the cocaine cartel in custody were all members of an international drug syndicate that the Agency has been trailing since 2018.

According to him, NDLEA operatives raided house number 6, Olukuola crescent, Solebo estate, Ikorodu, where the dug was warehoused on Sunday, while the barons were picked from hotels and hideouts in different parts of Lagos between Sunday night and Monday.

“Preliminary investigation reveals 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,” he said.

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), NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), said the bust was a historical blow to the drug cartels and a strong warning that they’ll all go down if they fail to realise that the game has changed.