NDLEA seizes N6.5bn heroin at Lagos airport, blocks UK bound cocaine, others
BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) has intercepted a consignment of 26.150kilograms of heroin with a street value of over N6.5billion at the SAHCO shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the illicit drug arrived Lagos in 25 parcels from South Africa through an Airpeace Airline flight on 30th June, 2021 and was detained for screening following reasonable suspicion of the content of the consignment.
Narcotic officers of the MMIA command in a follow up operation on July 1, trailed the driver and a clearing agent assigned to deliver the consignment to the house of a baron, Tony Chidi Onwurolu at No. 132 Lateef Adegboyega Street, off Ago palace way by Grandmate bus stop Okota, Lagos.
During the follow up operation, Mr Onwurolu who obviously mounted a counter-surveillance around his neighbourhood fled before the arrival of the operatives who searched and recovered documents to ascertain his true identity.
Following the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) declared the fleeing drug baron, Tony Chidi Onwurolu wanted with his details submitted to Interpol for tracking across the world while also directing the Agency’s Directorate of Assets and Financial Investigations as well as the Directorate of Intelligence to deploy their networks to fast track the baron’s arrest.
Marwa said: “Those who have been on the run for 10 years and some for five years, we have since tracked them and are now facing charges while cooling their heels behind bars. The latest one won’t be an exception, because he can only run but can’t hide for too long before we get him.”
