Wanted Drug Baron Arrested in Village Villa as NDLEA Recovers Methamphetamine, Precursors and Weapons

A major drug cartel behind the production and distribution of a deadly psychoactive substance, methamphetamine, commonly called “mkpuru mmiri”, has been dismantled by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, following the arrest of the cartel leader, 42-year-old Joachin Chikaodi Mbonu, and his associate at his hidden villa in his village of Umuomi, Uzogba-Ezenomi Autonomous Community, Ikeduru Local Government Area of ​​Imo State.

In a statement, the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, said the cartel with operational bases in Imo and Rivers states became a target of the agency following intelligence information indicating that it was responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the South-East, South-South and other parts of the country.

Babafemi said that after weeks of surveillance, officers of a special operations unit of the agency on Friday, July 5, 2024, tracked the drug kingpin to his villa in the village in Imo State, where he was caught with a member of his cartel, Kenneth Chibuike Ofoegbu, 34, in possession of several quantities of methamphetamine, its precursor chemicals, a pump action gun and recovered cartridges.

He added that among the items recovered from the house were: 419.99 grams of methamphetamine; 750 grams of iodine, a chemical precursor to methamphetamine; 500 grams of baking soda, a chemical precursor to methamphetamine; two electronic scales and a pump-action gun with four rounds of ammunition.

Babafemi said the officers quickly proceeded to another hideout of Mbonu, located at 11 Redemption Avenue, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where they recovered further items: 750 grams of processed sodium bicarbonate; 170 grams of plain sodium bicarbonate and 75 grams of methamphetamine.

He said another raid on the house of one of Mbonu’s associates, Odoemenam Pedro Chinedu, who is currently at large, at the Njaba Local Court in Imo State led to the recovery of another pump-action pistol with 25 rounds of ammunition, among other items.

As the kingpin cools his heels in custody, two of his mansions in Imo State have been flagged for possible forfeiture to the Federal Government.

He said Mbonu had fled South Africa, where he had lived for years, and learned the art of making methamphetamine after being investigated for drug dealing.

Once back in Nigeria, he continued his criminal activities by opening clandestine laboratories in remote villages to hide his nefarious activities.

Responding to the successful dismantling of the methamphetamine cartel, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), commended the officers and men involved in the multi-pronged operation, saying the manner in which the interdiction was conducted should send a strong signal to other cartels that they have no place anywhere in the country.

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