The NDLEA says its operatives have taken down a major drug cartel behind the production and distribution of deadly psychoactive substance, methamphetamine, popularly called ‘Mkpuru Mmiri’.

The agency’s spokesperson in a statement on July 9th, said this follows the arrest of the leader of the syndicate, 42-year-old Joachin Chikaodi Mbonu and his associate.

The suspects were arrested in Mbonu’s mansion tucked in his Umuomi village, Uzogba-Ezenomi autonomous community, Ikeduru LGA of Imo State.

“The cartel, with operational bases in Imo and Rivers States, became a target of the anti-narcotics Agency following intelligence indicating it was responsible for the distribution of substantial quantity of methamphetamine in South-East, South-South and other parts of the country.

After weeks of surveillance, officers of a special operations unit of the Agency on Friday, July 5, 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.