Cocaine: NDLEA won’t extradite arrested Chinese, says Giade

By Kenneth EHIGIATOR
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday ruled out the possibility of extraditing the Chinese nationals arrested in connection with the recent seizure of 450.400kg of cocaine valued at N4 billion.
NDLEA Chairman, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, who disclosed this in Lagos, said the two Chinese nationals, Richard Wang and Chiusen Fong, would be tried in the country as soon as investigations into the matter was concluded.

The Chinese were arrested alongside a Nigerian, Alhaji Inua Mohammed, who reportedly cleared the container containing the hard drug at Tin Can Island Port.

Alhaji Giade quoted the clearing agent as saying that he was contacted by Wang to clear a container and take it to Ibadan.

“I am a clearing agent. Richard Wang came to me to clear a container. He told me the container contained cigarettes and gave me 3 million naira for the clearance. It was after my boys cleared it out of the port that NDLEA officers intercepted them,” Mohammed was quoted as saying.

According to him, Fong in his statement said that he gave N5 million to clear the container and that he was working for  one Chiusen Fong who lives in Kano.

“ That was how they were all nabbed. The seizure of 450.400kg of cocaine imported from Chile at the Tin can Island port Lagos agency sources revealed was masterminded by an international drug syndicate that smuggles cocaine from South American countries to West Africa.

The anti_drug Agency had kept tab on the consignment which originated from Chile and passed through Peru, Bolivia and Antwerp to Tin Can Island Port (TCIP).

“The drug was neatly concealed in customized floor wood inside a container which was cleared and taken to a private warehouse at Iganmu, Lagos,” Giade said.

He commended the United States Drug Enforcement Administration for supplying the intelligence that led to the crackdown.