NDLEA Nabs 58-Year-Old Chinese Drug Kingpin Tianzhen Yen In Lagos
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disrupted a major international drug trafficking syndicate with the arrest of its alleged leader, 58-year-old Chinese national Tianzhen Yen, also known as “Jackie.” Yen was apprehended on November 21, 2024, during a targeted operation in Ikeja, Lagos State.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed in a statement that Yen was arrested at MC Hotel, behind Alade Market on Allen Avenue. A search of his room yielded 4.3 grams of cocaine, 1 gram of methamphetamine, two electronic weighing scales, and a Chinese National Identification Number card.
The operation that led to Yen’s arrest began earlier in the week when NDLEA operatives from the Seme Special Area Command intercepted a 40-year-old suspect, Yakubu Emmanuel Mark, at the Gbaji checkpoint along the Badagry-Seme expressway. Mark, traveling in a commercial bus en route to Ghana, was found with 750 grams of cocaine in his possession. His arrest initiated an investigation that identified Yen as the syndicate’s mastermind.
Yen’s arrest and the subsequent discovery of drugs in his possession signify a major victory for the NDLEA in its battle against transnational drug trafficking networks. The agency remains steadfast in its mission to curtail the inflow of illicit substances into Nigeria and dismantle criminal organizations fueling the drug trade.
