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In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended Joachin Chikaodi Mbonu, a 42-year-old drug baron, along with his 34-year-old associate, Kenneth Chibuike Ofoegbu.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, announced the arrest on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.
The arrests occurred in Mbonu's mansion in Umuomi village, Uzogba-Ezenomi autonomous community, Ikeduru local government area of Imo State.
The cartel, operating in Imo and Rivers states, had been under NDLEA surveillance for weeks following intelligence reports linking them to the widespread distribution of methamphetamine, known locally as ‘'mkpuru mmiri’', across the South East, South-South, and other parts of Nigeria.
On Friday, July 5, 2024, NDLEA's special operations unit successfully raided Mbonu's village mansion, seizing 419.99 grams of methamphetamine, 750 grams of iodine, 500 grams of sodium bicarbonate (both precursor chemicals for meth), two electronic weighing scales, a pump action gun, and cartridges.
NDLEA raid Port Harcourt drug hideout
Subsequently, another raid at Mbonu's hideout in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, led to the discovery of additional quantities of sodium bicarbonate and methamphetamine.
A third raid at the residence of another associate, Odoemenam Pedro Chinedu, who is currently at large in Njaba LGA, Imo State, yielded another pump action gun and 25 cartridges.
The NDLEA has also marked two of Mbonu's mansions in Imo State for potential forfeiture to the federal government.
Mbonu, who previously evaded drug investigations in South Africa, had returned to Nigeria to set up clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in remote villages.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised the officers involved in the operation, emphasising that this successful interdiction sends a strong message to other drug cartels operating in the country.