A 50-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman have been charged with international drug trafficking offences following a joint investigation involving law enforcement authorities in the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
Oladipupo Atandare, 50, of Dagenham, and Latifat Yusuf, 44, of Hornchurch, were arrested after more than 180kg (397lb) of cocaine was seized in the UK on August 5.
The two suspects appeared before Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on August 8 and were remanded in custody. They are scheduled to appear before Snaresbrook Crown Court on September 7.
The Metropolitan Police said the charges relate specifically to the cocaine seizure made in the UK, while investigations are continuing into the discovery of a similar quantity of the drug in Nigeria.
Nigerian authorities on Tuesday announced the seizure of 184.5kg of cocaine, estimated to be worth about £20 million, at a courier facility in Lagos. The consignment was reportedly concealed in brown boxes.
Several arrests have been made in connection with the Nigerian seizure, including a staff member of a logistics company and a social media influencer with nearly 700,000 followers on Instagram.
Authorities in both countries are continuing their investigations to determine the links, if any, between the two cocaine seizures and identify other individuals who may have been involved in the alleged international trafficking operation.
The suspects in the UK case remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
