NDLEA Arrests Convicted Cocaine Trafficker Disguised as Herbal Tea Merchant in Lagos

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a convicted cocaine trafficker who allegedly disguised himself as a herbal tea merchant while coordinating illicit drug shipments to Saudi Arabia.

According to a statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the arrest followed the interception of 1.2kg of cocaine concealed inside phone chargers at a courier company in Lagos on July 31. The consignment was allegedly destined for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Following the interception, operatives of the NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) launched an intelligence-led operation to identify and track the alleged mastermind behind the shipment.

The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu, was arrested during a sting operation at Article Market, opposite Trade Fair Market in the Ojo area of Lagos, on Friday, September 4.

At the time of his arrest, Ebubechukwu was allegedly posing as a herbal tea businessman.

Babafemi said the suspect confessed to masterminding previous illicit drug shipments and admitted that he discarded his telephone SIM card after learning that his latest consignment had been intercepted by the NDLEA.

Further investigations, according to the agency, revealed that Ebubechukwu had previously been arrested for drug trafficking.

“He was first arrested in 2011 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, after ingesting 900 grammes of cocaine and 130 grammes of heroin in an attempt to fly to Austria under the name Dunu Chukwuyenre Enoch,” Babafemi said.

He was subsequently prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to five years in prison. The NDLEA said he later changed his name to Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu before allegedly returning to the illicit drug trade.

A search of his residence at Yemishola Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, on September 4 reportedly led to the recovery of phone chargers similar to those used to conceal the intercepted cocaine. The internal components of the chargers had allegedly been removed to create space for drugs.

In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives also intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker allegedly used to conceal a large consignment of cannabis.

The tanker, marked MKA 960 XC, was reportedly chased along the Akoko-Lokoja Expressway in Ondo State on Friday after its driver refused to stop.

According to Babafemi, the driver eventually abandoned the vehicle at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko and fled into the bush.

A search of the tanker allegedly uncovered a concealed compartment containing 165 bags of cannabis weighing a total of 2,145kg, alongside its legitimate fuel cargo reportedly destined for Jos, Plateau State.

The NDLEA said investigations into both cases are ongoing.