NDLEA smashes drug cartel, arrests 3 kingpins
An international organized criminal group (IOCG) operating between Nigeria, the UK, Brazil, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates has been smashed by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). In a two-week-long intelligence-led operation across parts of Lagos, the agency arrested three leaders of the cartel. The arrests were made after officers intercepted […]
An international organized criminal group (IOCG) operating between Nigeria, the UK, Brazil, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates has been smashed by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
In a two-week-long intelligence-led operation across parts of Lagos, the agency arrested three leaders of the cartel.
The arrests were made after officers intercepted a large consignment of cocaine concealed in textile materials and local charms at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos. The drugs were headed for Sydney, Australia.
In a statement in Abuja on Sunday, NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the unraveling of the drug syndicate began on Tuesday, August 26, after officers at the airport’s export shed intercepted 76 cartons of textile materials destined for Sydney.
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He said a thorough search of the shipment led to the recovery of 16 large blocks of cocaine, weighing 17.9 kilograms, hidden in lace materials and packed with local charms to provide “spiritual cover” against law enforcement detection.
He said the first person arrested was Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, a freight agent and member of the syndicate.
According to Babafemi, the consignment had an estimated street value of over 5.3 million Australian dollars, equivalent to N5.3 billion.
According to him, a fast-paced investigation quickly unmasked other leaders of the group: Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi and Shola Adegoke. Ogunbiyi, the arrowhead of the syndicate in Nigeria, was arrested at a hotel in Ikeja GRA on Wednesday, September 3.
He was taken to his house in the Lekki area of Lagos, where a search led to the recovery of 21 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis with a total weight of 10.90kg, and a double-barreled pump action gun with some cartridges.
He added that a house in Ikeja, which the criminal group used to package illicit drugs for export, was subsequently raided and another syndicate leader, Shola Adegoke, was arrested.
“A black Range Rover SUV marked RBC 459 EJ found in the compound was searched and 17 parcels of Loud weighing 9.60 kilograms were recovered,” Babafemi stated.
He added that a black Toyota Venza car had also been recovered from Ogunbiyi at the time of his arrest.
According to him, investigations revealed that while Ogunbiyi coordinates operations for the group in Nigeria, one Adebisi Ademola Omoyele (Mr. Bee), who is currently “hibernating” in Dubai, UAE, is the ringleader of the network who coordinates their overseas operations.
He said Shola Adegoke was found to have been jailed in the UK in 2021 for dealing in methamphetamine and subsequently deported to Nigeria in 2024.
Ogunbiyi was also found to have served a 14-year jail term in the UK over a murder case before returning to Nigeria about eight years ago, he added.