By Abimbola Ogunnaike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a drug lord named Charles Uwagbale, who specializes in sponsoring young Nigerians to traffick Class A drugs to Europe, especially to Italy.
Uwagbale was arrested at his hotel room in Okota area of Lagos State late on the night of Friday, 21 July, 2023 while preparing a recruited courier to swallow 93 pellets of cocaine meant for distribution in Italy.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest of the Uwagbale in a statement on Sunday, 23 July, 2023.
According to Babafemi, the 48-year-old drug kingpin, Uwagbale had recruited Uju Dominic, 35, from his base in Italy with a deal to come to Nigeria, ingest 100 pellets of cocaine on Friday 21st July and return to Italy on Saturday 22nd July.
“True to plan, upon the arrival in Nigeria, the mule was lodged in Golden Heaven Hotel located at Enoma Street off Ago-Palace way, Okota, Isolo, Lagos where Uwagbale brought 93 wraps of the Class A drug for him to swallow at 11:45 pm Friday night.
“They were in the process of ingestion when NDLEA operatives who have been on their trail following credible intelligence stormed their hotel room, arrested them and recovered the drug exhibits with a total weight of 1.427kgs,” Babafemi said.
NDLEA image maker added that operatives of the Lagos State command of the agency who made the cocaine arrest and seizure had on Thursday 20 July, 2023 raided Akala in the Mushin area of the state where they recovered 37.5kgs cannabis from the home of a fleeing suspect.
