NDLEA Arrests Socialite, Logistics Worker, Seizes 184.5kg Cocaine From Courier Company | Sahara Reporters

The anti-narcotics agency described the arrest and the seizure as the biggest cocaine interception involving a logistics firm in the agency’s history.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of a socialite, Afolabi Kazeem Micheal, popularly known as KC Luxury, a logistics worker, and the seizure of 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in a consignment handled by a courier company.

The anti-narcotics agency described the arrest and the seizure as the biggest cocaine interception involving a logistics firm in the agency’s history.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Lagos, where he said that the two suspects were arrested in connection with the consignment.

Marwa, who identified the second suspect as Lawal Kehinde, an employee of the logistics company involved in the shipment, said investigators moved in after the cocaine was intercepted and subsequently worked with the management of the courier company to identify individuals linked to the consignment.

He said Michael was eventually arrested at the Lagos airport while allegedly attempting to leave Nigeria.

Marwa put the estimated value of the seized cocaine at $27.7 million, although the naira equivalent cited at the briefing was about N39 million.

The NDLEA chairman said the development underscored the growing use of Nigeria as a transit route for illicit drugs destined for markets in the United Kingdom, Europe and parts of Asia.

He said the agency would continue to target drug trafficking networks exploiting legitimate logistics and courier channels to move prohibited substances across borders.

He noted that the latest seizure comes amid intensified operations by the NDLEA against drug trafficking organisations and their networks across the country.

The agency has in recent years reported several major drug interceptions involving airports, courier companies, seaports, highways and other transportation routes used by traffickers.

Marwa reiterated the agency’s determination to dismantle trafficking networks and prevent Nigeria from being exploited as a hub for the movement of illicit drugs to other countries.

SaharaReporters reported on Monday, August 17, that the Edo State Command of the NDLEA had destroyed two cannabis plantations with an estimated yield of 4,628.9 kilogrammes and arrested 10 suspected drug traffickers in separate operations across the state.

The state NDLEA Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying the operations were carried out following credible intelligence.

Ofoyeju said operatives destroyed the cannabis farms located at Ugboku, Igbanke Forest, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, while separate raids were conducted at drug flashpoints in Oluku, Ovia North-East Local Government Area, and Abuja Quarters in the Oredo Local Government Area of Benin City.

He said the operations were conducted in line with the operational order of the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, to dislodge illicit drug locations across the country.

“In a renewed offensive tasking order, the command discovered and successfully destroyed two cannabis farms that measured 1.851591 hectares with an estimated yield of 4,628.9775 kilogrammes,” Ofoyeju said.

According to him, one suspect, identified as 40-year-old Agholor Elebojie, was arrested in connection with the first plantation, which measured 0.699792 hectares and had an estimated yield of 1,749.26 kilogrammes of cannabis.

He said the second farm measured 1.151889 hectares with an estimated yield of 2,879.7225 kilogrammes and was also destroyed.

“Additionally, two bags of processed cannabis sativa weighing 12.4 kilogrammes were recovered from the second farm,” he added.