By Amah
Joachim Mbonu, a suspected drug baron on the wanted list of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has been arrested.
Mbonu is allegedly the kingpin behind the production and distribution of deadly psychoactive substance, methamphetamine, popularly called ‘mkpuru mmiri’.
The 42-year-old was on July 5, 2024, arrested alongside his associate at his mansion in Umuomi village, Uzogba-Ezenomi autonomous community, Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State,.
Femi Babafemi, the spokesperson for NDLEA disclosed the arrest on Tuesday.
According to him: “A major drug cartel behind the production and distribution of deadly psychoactive substance, methamphetamine, popularly called ‘mkpuru mmiri’ has been taken down by operatives of the NDLEA following the arrest of the leader of the syndicate, 42-year-old Joachin Chikaodi Mbonu and his associate in his mansion tucked in his Umuomi village, Uzogba-Ezenomi autonomous community, Ikeduru local government area of Imo State.”
He said the cartel had operational bases in Imo and Rivers State but was targeted by the anti-drug agency, following intelligence that it was behind the distribution of substantial quantities of methamphetamine in the South-east, South-south and other parts of the country.
Babafemi further revealed 419.99 grams of methamphetamine, 750 grams of iodine, and a pump action gun with four cartridges, among others, were recovered by operatives during the raid.
“After weeks of surveillance, officers of a special operations unit of the Agency on Friday 5th July 2024, tracked and traced the drug lord to his village mansion in Imo State where he was caught with a member of his cartel, Kenneth Chibuike Ofoegbu, 34, with different quantities of methamphetamine, its precursor chemicals, a pump action gun and cartridges recovered,” Babafemi said.
“Exhibits recovered from the house include 419.99 grams of methamphetamine; 750 grams of iodine, a precursor chemical for meth; 500 grams of sodium bicarbonate, a precursor chemical for meth; two electronic weighing scales and a pump action gun with four cartridges.”
He added that residences of Mbonu’s associates in Rivers and Imo States, were also raided by operatives, who recovered many illicit drugs.
TmSimikarly, the operatives moved swiftly to another of Mbonu’s hideouts located at 11 Redemption Avenue, Port Harcourt, where they recovered additional exhibits: 750 grams of processed sodium bicarbonate; 170 grams of plain sodium bicarbonate and 75 grams of meth.
“Another raid in the home of one of Mbonu’s associates, Odoemenam Pedro Chinedu, currently at large, at Njaba LGA, Imo state, led to the recovery of another pump action gun with 25 cartridges, among other items. While the kingpin cools his heels in custody, two of his mansions in Imo state have been marked for possible forfeiture to the federal government,” he added.
Babafemi stated that Mbonu had escaped from South Africa where he lived for years and mastered the art of cooking methamphetamine after he came under investigation for drug dealings but upon returning to Nigeria, he continued the criminal trade by setting up clandestine laboratories in remote villages to shield his nefarious activities.
