Crime

Siblings Catch With Drugs Worth Over N4.7bn Arrested in Aba

Published by Tope Fakinlede on June 16th, 2024.

Siblings Catch With Drugs Worth Over N4.7bn Arrested in Aba

Siblings Leading Drug Cartel Apprehended in Abia State with N4.1 Billion in Cocaine and Meth

In a significant operation, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a drug cartel led by 49-year-old Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi and his 50-year-old sister, Ms. Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi, arresting them in their hideout in Aba, Abia State.

According to a statement by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy for NDLEA, the bust led to the seizure of cocaine and methamphetamine valued at over N4.1 billion. The operation, carried out by the Special Operation Unit, took place on Thursday, June 13 and Friday, June 14, at two locations: 3B Boundary Avenue and a residence on Ohia Road, Ohia, Abia State. This followed months of intelligence gathering and resulted in the confiscation of 20.76 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine.

**Additional Arrests and Seizures in Lagos and Kano States**

In a related operation in Lagos State, NDLEA operatives discovered a large warehouse filled with codeine-based syrup in the Comfort Oboh area of Kirikiri. During this intelligence-led raid, four individuals involved in the importation and distribution of the opioid were arrested. Those apprehended included Kingsley Amanambu Obumneke, 38; Emeka Emmanuel, 48; Bonaventure Ugochukwu, 59; and Martin Dike, 56. The raid resulted in the seizure of 82,000 bottles of codeine syrup worth more than N600 million, along with a Toyota Tacuma truck and two buses used for distribution.

Additionally, on Wednesday, June 12, officers intercepted Ibrahim Abdulhamid with 29,100 pills of tramadol and other opioids, as well as 3.9 liters of codeine syrup at Alaba Suru, in the Ojo local council area of Lagos.

In Kano State, NDLEA arrested Yasir Rabiu, 23, and Abubakar Ado, 30, on Monday, June 10, at Gadar Tamburawa, seizing a total of 230,600 pills of tramadol. Another suspect, Hassan Abdullahi Ali, 25, was apprehended on Tuesday, June 11, in the Kofar Nassarawa area with 150 bottles of codeine syrup.