Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a suspected drug baron, Charles Chinedu Ezeh after his UK-bound drugs worth N567 million were seized.
NDLEA operatives had intercepted the large consignment of methamphetamine concealed in powdered custard containers as part of a consolidated cargo going to London, United Kingdom at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesman, in a statement on Sunday, said the illicit drug consignment weighing 30.10 kilograms with a street value of N567 million was detected and seized by the agency at the airport on Tuesday 16th May.
“This was swiftly followed by a series of follow-up operations that led to the arrest of a freight agent, Nwobodo Chidiebere; a female suspect, Chioma Lucy Akuta and ultimately the drug lord behind the shipment, Charles Chinedu Ezeh, who was arrested at Sotel Suites, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos on Thursday 18th May.
“Ezeh claims he is a businessman and deals in articles in Onitsha, Anambra State but investigations reveal he lived with his wife and children in London until 10th December 2022 when he fled to Nigeria after his involvement in a drug-relateoffensece in the UK.
“Though he claimed to have been living in hotels since his return to Nigeria last December, operatives were, however able to locate his mansion at No. 1 Hawawu Abikan Street, Lekki, on Friday 19th May, where a search was conducted and his travel and property documents among others were recovered,” Babafemi stated.