According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), its agents raided a sizable warehouse in a private estate in the Ikorodu neighbourhood of Lagos State and recovered over N194 billion worth of crack.
This was announced in a statement released on Monday in Abuja by Mr. Femi Babafemi, its director of advocacy and the media.
Cocaine is considered an illegal drug. Street dealers often mix powdered cocaine with water and baking soda and boil the mixture into a solid, rock-like substance called ‘crack Cocaine’ or just ‘crack.”
According to Babafemi, the 1.8 tons (1,855 kilograms) of illegal substances were valued at more than $278, 250,000 while its street worth is around N194, 775,000,000, or one hundred and ninety-four billion, seven hundred and seventy-five million
The seizures, according to the NDLEA spokeswoman, were “the biggest single Cocaine seizure in the history of Nigeria’s primary anti-narcotic agency,”
He claims that authorities have detained at least four drug lords, including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager.
“This was done in a well-coordinated and intelligence-led operation that lasted two days across different locations in Lagos State, Kingpins of the Cocaine cartel in custody.
“They are all members of an international drug syndicate that the agency has been trailing since 2018,” Babafemi said.
He shared that the barons were apprehended between Sunday night and Monday morning, on September 18 in Solebo Estate, Ikorodu from their hotels and hiding places in various locations throughout Lagos.
“Preliminary investigation reveals the class ‘A’ drugs were warehoused in the residential estate, from where the cartel was trying to sell them to buyers in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world.
“They were stored in 10 travel bags and 13 drums,” he said.
He said the bust was a historical blow to the drug cartels and a strong warning.
“They will all go down if they failed to realise that the game had changed,” Marwa warned.