The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a major cocaine trafficking cartel headed by a couple, Bolanle Lookman Dauda and Olayinka Toheebat Dauda, in coordinated operations across Lagos and Ogun states.
The raids, which took place on Saturday, resulted in the seizure of multi-billion-naira worth of illicit drugs, a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy said.
The operation was a joint operation between the NDLEA and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Daudas were intercepted at Badagry while attempting to cross the land border to deliver a consignment of cocaine to Ghana.
At the time of their arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilograms were discovered in their possession.
A subsequent operation at the couple’s residence, located at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo Road, Agbara, Ogun state, led to the recovery of an additional eight blocks of cocaine weighing 10 kilograms.
The second haul brought the total quantity of cocaine seized from the Daudas to 57.5 kilograms.
In another operation, the NDLEA’s special unit recovered 1,100 ampoules of fentanyl, a lethal synthetic opioid, weighing 6.48 kilograms, from 34-year-old Ikeh Stanley Ifeanyi at the bustling Idumota market on Lagos Island.
Additionally, 790 ampoules of fentanyl, weighing 5.273 kilograms, were seized from another syndicate member, 48-year-old Chieze Ogechukwu Benjamin, also at Idumota market.
Fentanyl is notorious for being 100 times more potent than heroin and is a leading cause of overdose deaths, particularly in the United States.
Further, in a separate raid on Lagos Island, NDLEA officers arrested Olayiwola Aremu Kazeem, 37, and Ogunfowora Taofik Ajibola, 35, with 432 grams of methamphetamine in their possession.
Reacting to these significant busts, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised the resilience and dedication of the officers involved.
He said, “The arrest of these drug kingpins and the seizure of these dangerous illicit drugs underscore our commitment to eradicating drug trafficking.
“I commend the special operation unit and our local and international partners for their exceptional collaboration. We must continue to be relentless in our offensive action against the drug underworld,” he stated.
