Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a popular businessman (names withheld), alleged to be leader of an international drug trafficking organisation, who recruits and sponsors couriers to China, Malaysia, Turkey and Italy.

The arrest of the 37-year-old suspect reportedly followed the agency’s discovery of three laboratories used for the illegal production of methamphetamine in his home town in Anambra State.

Addressing journalists yesterday on the arrest described as the latest outstanding operational success recorded by the anti-narcotic agency, the Chairman/Chief Executive, NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, disclosed that surveillance indicated that the suspect shuttled between his country home and Isolo, Lagos State, residence.

He said: “He hides under the cover of motorcycle parts business in running a drug cell that has international affiliation.

“He specialises in recruiting and sponsoring drug couriers to China, Malaysia and Turkey. He also pays his couriers an average of $5,000 per trip.

“The suspect has two Nigeria international passports and one Ghanaian passport, all bearing his photographs with different names. Two other passports belonging to suspected drug couriers were also seized.

“He hired one Raphael, who is a professional methanphetamine cook to work for him. He pays him N500,000 for his service and N700,000 for the purchase of precursor chemicals per production circle.

“The production capacity per cycle is 14kg. As a result of the indicting surveillance report, he was arrested in his home country.”

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