The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raided the Lagos base of a high-profile cocaine syndicate headed by a couple, Agbakoba John Mmadu, and Agbakoba Ijeoma Chinwe as well as their associate, Okoye Ifeoma Maryjane, where large consignments of the class A drug meant for export and local distribution were recovered.
The Director of Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
Babafemi said the raid was carried out by a special operations unit of the agency following months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on the syndicate notorious for packaging, distributing and trafficking cocaine within and outside Nigeria.
He said 54-year-old Agbakoba John Mmadu was arrested at Ago Palace Way, Okota while his wife, Agbakoba Ijeoma Chinwe, 39, and associate, Okoye Ifeoma Maryjane, 31, who doubles as their stash keeper, were nabbed at Plot 2205 Eugene Ndubisi close, Lilly Estate, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos, all on Wednesday, July 3.
“While seven parcels of cocaine with a total weight of 7.652 kilograms were recovered from Mmadu at Ago Palace Way, not less than 122 compressed pellets of the same drug weighing 2.42kg were seized from the duo of Ijeoma and Ifeoma at Lilly Estate, bringing the total seizure to 10.1 kilograms valued at over N2.1 billion in street value,” the statement reads in part.
Babafemi disclosed that NDLEA operatives in Benue State on Thursday, July 4, intercepted a consignment of 350 grams of cocaine at a checkpoint along Enugu Road, Otukpo.
“The illicit drug was concealed in an MP3 speaker sent as a waybill parcel.
“A swift follow-up operation at Flight motor park in Otukpo led to the arrest of the owner, 25-year-old Odeh Anthony,” the agency said.
