A suspected leader of a Nigeria-based international drug cartel has been arrested in Lagos for allegedly smuggling illicit drugs into Korea for the past five years.
According to Korea Times, the Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed that the 59-year-old suspect, identified as K. Jeff, was detained on February 13 after years of joint efforts with Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Authorities also apprehended 36 other members of the cartel.
Reports indicate that in 2021, some cartel members based in Korea were caught attempting to smuggle drugs from Ghana. These suspects later provided critical intelligence, enabling Nigerian authorities to track the cartel’s operations. A specialized team was then deployed to Nigeria to locate the group’s headquarters.
Jeff is believed to have overseen a global drug trafficking network spanning five continents. He allegedly manipulated individuals, including Koreans, into transporting methamphetamine and other stimulant drugs.
The suspect has a prior criminal record in Korea, where he was convicted in 2007 for a major drug smuggling operation. He served a 12-month prison sentence before being deported to Nigeria in 2008.
Authorities claim Jeff later expanded his illicit trade across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, where he and his cartel members were involved in the cultivation, production, and distribution of illegal drugs.
The group also reportedly engaged in romance scams, deceiving victims into unknowingly transporting illicit substances across international borders.
