A Nigerian drug cartel leader, who deceived Koreans into becoming drug couriers through romance scams and financial fraud using social media (SNS), has been arrested in cooperation with the National Intelligence Service and local authorities.
The National Intelligence Service's International Criminal Information Center (TCIC) announced on the 20th that it arrested K. Jeff (59), the leader of an international drug organization, in southwestern Lagos, Nigeria, on the 13th (local time) in cooperation with the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
According to the National Intelligence Service, K. Jeff, a Nigerian national, was arrested in 2007 for leading drug distribution crimes in Korea, sentenced to one year in prison, and deported in 2008. He then hid in Nigeria while procuring drugs from Central America and Southeast Asia to smuggle them worldwide, including Korea.
K. Jeff's organization has established bases in Southeast Asia, Africa, North America, and Europe. They are one of the emerging drug organizations that expanded their influence using funds obtained from drug distribution as well as romance scams and investment fraud.
According to the National Intelligence Service, K. Jeff's organization used romance scams to procure drug couriers by gaining the favor of potential victims on SNS, stealing money or coercing them into specific actions. They targeted Koreans and foreigners who could enter the country without a visa to arrange for drug transportation to Korea.
Members of the organization approached victims by impersonating international organization agents, government officials, or lawyers. The victims were lured abroad under false pretenses such as 'romantic relationships' or 'investment opportunities.' They subsequently transported items like backpacks, travel bags, and chocolates to other countries under the pretext of 'gift delivery,' concealing drugs inside.
Last year, a Korean woman in her 50s was caught after being deceived by this organization's financial fraud methods while traveling to Brazil to receive waxing products containing hidden cocaine, intending to transit through Korea to Cambodia. The National Intelligence Service has confirmed that there are about ten victims who served as couriers so far.
The National Intelligence Service has been tracking K. Jeff's organization since 2020. The investigation intensified when the National Intelligence Service and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Drug Crime Investigation Team uncovered a domestic organization of Nigerians trying to distribute drugs imported from Ghana in 2021.
To date, the National Intelligence Service has seized 28.4 kg of methamphetamine and 17.2 kg of cannabis, totaling 45.6 kg of drugs that these organizations were attempting to distribute over seven operations. The street value is approximately 972 billion won. A total of 37 members, including the leader, have been arrested.
During K. Jeff's arrest, the National Intelligence Service supported the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency with intelligence on hiding places and new criminal activities. Additionally, personnel specializing in international crime were dispatched to Nigeria to raid the organization's base along with armed local authorities.
The National Intelligence Service noted, 'Recently, as the U.S. government has strengthened drug enforcement, North American drug organizations that have lost access to markets are turning their eyes to countries like ours in the Asia-Pacific region.' They urged the public not to travel abroad even if someone they met online requests it, and to refuse any requests to transport goods from overseas.