A 38-year-old Nigerian agent of a notorious transnational drug cartel has been arrested with substances suspected to be Canadian Loud worth about One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (₦150,000,000.00).
The suspect, Justine Enuonye, was intercepted at Lekki Phase 1, Lagos on 27 November by operatives of the the Force Criminal Investigation Department (Annex).
Justine, who had been on the radar of the FCID’s operatives in recent times following intelligence pointing to the fact that he is a Nigerian agent of a notorious transnational drug cartel, was driving a Tacoma truck, marked DSR 785 HR, loaded with 157 parcels of the substances when the bubble burst.
According to ASP Mayegun Aminat, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of FCID, Lagos Annex, the operatives, acting on intelligence, undertook a well-coordinated undercover operation leading to his arrest at about 5:00 pm on the said date, adding that the suspect had been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
She said, “Following the arrest, preliminary investigations by detectives of the Department established that the narcotic substances were sourced from one of their barons in Canada.”
The modus, the PPRO stated, was to load the narcotics packs inside foreign used cars, otherwise known as ‘Tokunbo’, and shipped inside containers into Nigeria through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Apapa, Lagos.
The suspect has, however, confessed that the drugs were shipped into Nigeria in five cartons spread into two Tokunbo vehicles – a Ford Ecoline bus and a Hyundai Elantra car and that they were concealed inside motor spare parts, which landed in a container at the Ports Authority, Apapa, Lagos.
Justine revealed that, upon clearing the vehicles with the cartons of substances, instructions from the baron was to deliver It to 10 one of their network members in Lagos, who would then dispose of them to intending Nigerian consumers.
The suspect admitted to facilitating international drug transactions as an intermediary and that he often received instructions through concealed phone numbers.
“The market value of the 157 parcels so far recovered from the suspect is estimated at over ₦150 million”, the PPRO said, adding that,
“In the spirit of inter-agency collaboration and in aid of detailed investigation of the syndicate behind this crime and their International networks, the suspect and exhibits are today being handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State Command, for conclusive investigation.”
Mayegun further stated that “The FCID (Annex) Lagos shall keep tab on the investigation and support the NDLEA operatives towards ensuring diligent investigation and prosecution of the elements behind this heinous crime.
“The AIG FCID ANNEX Alagbon, AIG Idowu Owohunwa, assures that the operation to rid the Lagos space of drug actors will be a continuous exercise, in order to reduce the incessant drug related-crimes in the state and beyond.
“He, however, pleads with the well-meaning citizens to continue to assist police by providing useful and actionable information to support special operations in this regard toward aiding the disruption of such criminal activities“, the PPRO said.
Eighteen-Eleven Media