By Christopher Oji
The National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has busted yet another drug cartel in Lagos with the recovery of drugs with street value of N8,860,000,000.
The drugs were recovered in the mansions of a suspected billionaire drug baron, Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia, on the highbrow residential estate, Victoria Garden City, Lekki area of Lagos, where no less than 13,451,466 pills of tramadol 225mg were seized by operatives of the NDLEA.
NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, in a statement, yesterday, said “the arrest of Ugochukwu, who is the Chairman of Autonation Motors Ltd, is coming barely two months after NDLEA uncovered a methamphetamine clandestine laboratory in the residence of another drug kingpin in the estate, Chris Emeka Nzewi, who was arrested on Saturday, July 30, along with a chemist, Sunday Ukah, who cooked the illicit drug for him. At least 258.74 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and various precursor chemicals used for the production of the toxic drug were recovered from Nzewis home during his arrest.
“Following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Friday, September 30, stormed the Plot A45 Road 2 home of the 52-year-old billionaire drug kingpin. A search of the expansive mansion led to the discovery of 443 cartons of tramadol hydrochloride 225mg, which contains 13, 451, 466 pills of the drug, while some cartons were already burnt in a fire incident in the house the same day. Before his arrest, Ugochukwu, who hails from Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, has been on the agency’s watch list as one of those behind the tramadol drug cartel in Nigeria. Preliminary investigation shows that he has about six mansions within the VGC, one of which he uses to warehouse the tramadol consignment, while he lives in one at Plot Z-130 Road 67, and another as his office. Five exotic vehicles have also been located in two of his mansions, out of which two SUVs, including a bullet proof jeep have been successfully removed to the agency’s facility.”
Reacting to the latest drug haul, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), commended the officers and men involved in the operation for their diligence, while also appreciating Nigerians for supporting the agency in its arduous task of ridding the country of the menace of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.