A drug baroness and four kingpins have been arrested with multi-billion naira worth of Cocaine, Opioids and Loud recovered from their hideouts across Lagos state.

The arrests were achieved by operatives of a special unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in intelligence-led operations in Lagos state.

In a statement, the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi said, the suspected baroness, Faith Ebele Nwankwo was arrested on Wednesday 9th August at her residence, House 6, C close, 3rd Avenue, Festac area of Lagos shortly after she returned from a warehouse with eight cartons of tramadol 225mg loaded into an unmarked white Honda Pilot SUV.

He said, a search of her residence and the warehouse led to the recovery of Two Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand (2,750,000) pills of tramaking, a brand of tramadol 225mg and 250mg packed in 39 cartons weighing 1,916 kilograms and the drugs and the SUV were recovered while the suspect was taken into custody.

In another operation targeted at a group of transnational syndicate involved in importation, exportation, distribution, and dealing in Cocaine and Canadian Loud, also led to the arrests of the duo of Urama Chinemelum Precious, 32, and Adelakun Ilelabayo Oluade, 55 with a blue Toyota Highlander SUV loaded with 8.49kg of cocaine and 10.3kg Canadian Loud for distribution.

While a follow-up operation at the residence of Chinemelum led to the recovery of additional 18 blocks of Loud weighing 18.5kg.

Other arrests and discovery made are syndicates involved in the importation, distribution and diversion of ephedrine hydrochloride, a precursor chemical used for the production of methamphetamine.

Two members of the syndicate: Udeh Vincent Ogbonna, 53, and Okonkwo Ifeanyi Uzozie, 50, were arrested at a commercial bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba, Lagos where they were attempting to send the concealed substance to the South East.

A body search conducted on the two suspects led to the recovery of Three Thousand ($3,000) US Dollars found on Udeh Vincent Ogbonna.