NDLEA Apprehends Notorious International Drug Kingpin After 17-Year Manhunt

NDLEA Apprehends Notorious International Drug Kingpin After 17-Year Manhunt

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended 59-year-old international drug baron, Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff, after evading law enforcement for 17 years. The suspect, linked to a vast drug trafficking network, was arrested with illicit drugs worth over ₦1.4 billion.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), revealed that the agency’s Special Operations Unit had been tracking the suspect for years.

His arrest followed intelligence shared by the National Intelligence Service of South Korea and an Interpol Red Notice issued against him.

Investigations uncovered that Jeff laundered drug proceeds by importing electronics and other goods into Nigeria. A search of his residence led to the discovery of multiple Nigerian international passports bearing different identities, many with Korean visas. Additionally, NDLEA operatives recovered illicit substances stored at the back of his house.

Authorities confirmed that the suspect is wanted in South Korea for multiple drug trafficking offences committed between 2023 and 2024, in collaboration with his international accomplices. Interpol has issued a Red Notice for his extradition to face prosecution in South Korea.

The NDLEA reiterated its commitment to dismantling drug cartels and bringing traffickers to justice, emphasizing that no criminal is beyond the reach of the law, no matter how long they run.

Source: WAVN