The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has declared a couple, Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade and Rashidat Ayinke Owoalade, wanted, for allegedly running a cocaine cartel from India.
This follows the arrest of four members of their syndicate in Lagos, leading to the recovery of a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and the sealing of two houses traced to them for forfeiture to the Federal Government.
In a statement signed by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, and shared on its website on Sunday, the NDLEA detailed the operations and arrests linked to the cartel.
The statement read, “A couple, Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade (alias Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun) and Rashidat Ayinke Owoalade (alias Bolarinwa Rashidat Ayinke), who runs a cocaine cartel from India.
He has been declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency following the arrest of four members of the syndicate in Lagos where a Sports Utility Vehicle was recovered and two houses already traced to them sealed for forfeiture to the Federal Government.”
Two members of the syndicate, Imran Taofeek Olalekan and Ishola Isiaka Olalekan, were arrested on April 3, 2024, while attempting to export 3.40kg of cocaine on a Qatar Airlines flight to Oman via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.
“While Imran was the courier conveying the drug consignment to Oman, Ishola recruited him as the head of the cartel.
The investigation has now revealed to be Alhaji Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade, whose Indian residence permit bears Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun,” the statement added.
The NDLEA’s efforts to dismantle the cartel’s network in Nigeria paid off after five weeks of surveillance and follow-up operations.
Another syndicate member, Hamed Abimbola Saheed, was arrested on May 14 in the Abule Egba area of Lagos.
According to the statement, “It was indeed Saheed who lodged Imran in a hotel a day before his aborted trip to Oman and equally dropped him and Ishola at the Lagos airport the day they were arrested.”
A search of Hamed’s house resulted in the recovery of 900 grams of phenacetine, a cutting agent for cocaine.
He confessed that the recovered substance was what remained of the consignment Imran was taken to Oman.
This arrest led to a follow-up operation at the Owoalade couple’s residence at 20, Eyiaro Street, Ogudu Orioke, Lagos, where another suspect was arrested.
A new model Toyota RAV4 SUV, marked FKJ-773 JJ, belonging to Rashidat, was recovered along with 400 grams of cocaine, digital weighing scales, and other paraphernalia.
In other operations, NDLEA officers intercepted two parcels at a courier firm in Lagos on May 15 containing 587 grams of cocaine hidden in steel bolts bound for China and amphetamine concealed in vape pens and shea butter heading to the UK.
Additionally, an attempt to export 3.6kg of cannabis hidden in 36 water flasks to Dubai was foiled at a logistics company in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on May 16, leading to the arrest of Emeka Nwadiaro (aka Mega) in Onitsha, Anambra State.
In a series of nationwide busts, NDLEA operatives made significant seizures and arrests.
In Lagos, a Mercedes Benz bus loaded with 840kg of cannabis was intercepted, and the driver, Samuel Henry, was arrested.
In Benue State, Lawal Adam was arrested with 75,000 pills of opioids. Other arrests included Adamu Mohammed in Borno State with 2kg of cannabis and Gaddafi Sani on the Abuja-Kaduna road with 30kg of cannabis.
In Yobe State, a large consignment of drugs was seized from a petrol tanker on the Potiskum-Damaturu road, with the driver, Ismaila Ali, being arrested.
NDLEA officers also arrested four suspects in Niger State in connection with the seizure of 2,025 pieces of improvised explosive devices (IED) materials.
Additionally, Muhammad Lawal was arrested in Katsina State with 1,000 ampoules of Pentazocine injection.
Further arrests included Gloria Oris in Edo State with 105kg of cannabis and Abdulganiyu Karaman and Sunday Abel in Kwara State with 83kg of cannabis and tramadol.
