One of the suspects, Oseni Abdulraheem Ayodeji Babatunde (aka Papalampa)
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a Lekki-based artistes’ manager and his Ikoyi businessman accomplice who specialize in distributing illicit drugs to fun seekers at VIP night clubs and lounges in Lekki and Island axis of Lagos state.
Their arrest followed an intelligence about a shipment of Colorado, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis coming for them from Los Angeles, United States.
The NDLEA Director Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi in a statement says, Oseni Abdulraheem Ayodeji Babatunde (aka Papalampa) was the first to be arrested in his house at No. 3 Ope Daniel Taiwo Street, off Chisco Bus-Stop, Lekki area of Lagos when the consignment arrived on Sunday 23rd July.
He said, during preliminary interview with the suspect, he confessed he started the illicit trade three years ago and has been selling to patrons of clubs and lounges in Lekki and Lagos Island, some of which he identified as Quilox, Silver Fox, DNA and Hot box.
“Oseni said beside the drug business, he also organizes shows for artistes around Lagos and outside Nigeria”.
Giving more details, he disclosed that, a total of ten (10) parcels of Colorado weighing 2.50kg concealed inside large tins of coffee and duvets linked to Oseni were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja.
During a follow up search of his residence, operatives recovered some quantities of the same substance, a digital weighing scale and other paraphernalia.
In other arrests, Babafemi said, an Ikoyi based businessman, Nnadi Kingsley Ikenna also linked to the shipment was away in South Africa when the consignment arrived.
While operatives maintained surveillance around his 18 Okotie Eboh Close, Ikoyi residence, they also set their dragnet for him at the airport. He eventually arrived into the waiting arms of NDLEA officers on Thursday 27th July when he returned to the country on a Kenya Airlines flight at the Lagos airport. Kingsley, in his statement accepted ownership of a part of the consignment.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives attached to the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA intercepted a cargo going to Nairobi, Kenya. A search of the consignment revealed that various quantities of MDMA (Ecstasy) popularly known as ‘Molly’ and Rohypnol were concealed in a bag consisting of foodstuff.
“An agent, Onydem Chinwe Florence who presented it for export was arrested, adding that, an attempt by another suspect, Igboma Ifeanyi to export quantities of Loud, a variant of Cannabis, Tramadol and Rohypnol all weighing 7.8kg concealed in 66 bottles of skin lightening lotion was thwarted by vigilant operatives who intercepted him while preparing to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Muscat, Oman at the Lagos airport”.
Another suspect, Onydem Chinwe Florence
Another suspect, Ekpenisi Wisdom Pious was equally arrested while trying to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Oman with 6.00kg skunk hidden in a bag of food stuff.
A follow up operation led to the arrest of a staff of Toprano Hotel, Ikeja, Ibigbami Temitope Oluwatobi who was fingered in the drug trafficking scheme. A consignment of 5.70kg codeine syrup going to the United Kingdom was on Thursday 27th July seized from a 51-year-old widow, Adewunmi Taiwo Atinuke by NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA Ikeja.
Other consignments of drugs discovered include, 8.5kg skunk well concealed in a vehicle engine block going to Dubai, UAE, nitrous oxide popularly known as laughing gas, linked to a 30-year-old businessman, Stephen Eze at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, imported from China and third shipment intercepted during a joint examination containing 8,336 cannisters of Nitrous Oxide and pressure release Nozzles.
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