By Reporter
The operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a suspected drug lord who the agwncy said, specialises in using Nigerians to traffick illicit drugs to Italy and other parts of Europe.
He was arrested along with one of his couriers last Friday July 21, 2023, in Lagos, when the anti-drug agency swopped on them in his hotel room in the Okota area of Lagos State.
The NLDEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, diaclosed this in a statement yesterday, July 23, 2023.
According to Babafemi, the suspected drug kingpin Charles Uwagbale was arrested while he was preparing a recruited courier to swallow 93 pellets of cocaine meant for distribution in Italy.
The 48-year-old suspect had recruited Uju Dominic, 35, from his base in Italy with a deal to come to Nigeria, ingest 100 pellets of cocaine on Friday, July 21, and return to Italy on Saturday, July 22.
True to plan, upon arrival in Nigeria, the mule was lodged in Golden Heaven Hotel located at Enoma street off Ago-Palace way, Okota, Isolo, Lagos where Uwagbale brought 93 wraps of the ‘Class A’ drug for him to swallow at about 23:45pm Friday night.
Babafemi disclosed that the suspected drug lord and his mule were in the process when operatives who have been on their trail following credible intelligence stormed their hotel room, arrested both and recovered the drug exhibits with a total weight of 1.427 kilograms.
Operatives of the Lagos state Command of the Agency who made the arrest and seizure had on Thursday 20th July raided Akala in Mushin area of the state where they recovered 37.5kg cannabis from the home of a fleeing suspect.