Nigerian Drug Kingpin Arrested For Using Romance Scams To Smuggle Drugs
A 59-year-old Nigerian drug kingpin, known as K Jeff, has been arrested for orchestrating an international drug smuggling operation that used romance scams to deceive unsuspecting Koreans into acting as drug couriers.
The Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) announced the arrest last Thursday, following a joint operation with Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to investigators, K Jeff led a transnational drug cartel with operations in Southeast Asia, Africa, Korea, the U.S., and Europe. His organization allegedly used online scams—posing as romantic partners or investment opportunities—to trick victims into unknowingly transporting drugs across borders.
Victims were deceived into carrying backpacks, grocery items, or confectionery filled with drugs, believing they were delivering gifts on behalf of their online connections.
One such victim, a Korean woman in her 50s, was caught last year while transporting shaving wax laced with cocaine from Brazil to Cambodia via Korea, the NIS revealed. At least 10 other victims, including foreigners, have been identified.
K Jeff was previously deported from Korea in 2008 after serving a one-year prison sentence for leading a drug trafficking operation. However, after his expulsion, he continued sourcing drugs from Korea, Central America, and Southeast Asia, smuggling them into Korea and beyond from Nigeria.
The NIS first uncovered his organization in 2021, after intercepting a Nigerian drug ring attempting to smuggle narcotics from Ghana into Korea. The investigation eventually led authorities back to K Jeff.
Authorities have seized 45.6 kilograms of drugs linked to K Jeff’s network, including 28.4 kg of methamphetamine, and have arrested 38 members of his criminal group.
The NIS has warned the public to be cautious of online contacts who request them to carry packages internationally, emphasizing the growing risk of romance and investment scams being used for drug trafficking.
