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A man was extradited to the United States and sentenced.
- A man who was extradited to the United States from South Africa last year was sentenced to more than five years in prison for drug trafficking.
- The 54-year-old was arrested in Johannesburg in 2018 during a joint operation by the Hawks and US police.
- The US Department of Justice says SAPS contributed significantly to the case.
A man who was extradited to the United States from South Africa last year was sentenced to more than five years in prison for trafficking more than 30 kilograms of heroin destined for import into the United States.
This comes after 54-year-old Nigerian national Edwin Anyaoku was arrested in Fourways, Johannesburg, in July 2018 during a joint operation by the Hawks’ South African Narcotics Control Bureau (SAEB) and the Control Administration. Drug Administration (DEA).
News24 previously reported that the extradition was later authorized by then-Justice Minister Michael Masutha in April 2019.
READ | Alleged drug trafficker extradited to the United States to face charges
The US Department of Justice, in a statement Tuesday, said that according to court documents, Anyaoku was a heroin dealer residing in Johannesburg.
“In that part of the world, heroin generally originates from Pakistan or Afghanistan, then transits through southern Africa before being smuggled elsewhere. In December 2017, a confidential law enforcement source negotiated the purchase of one kilogram of Anyaoku’s heroin in exchange for $ 15,000 (just over R250,000).
Profit
“Anyaoku understood that the confidential source would be distributing heroin for profit in the United States,” explained the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia.
The 1kg was a test run for a larger load and Anyaoku negotiated another deal with the confidential source in June 2018, however at the time it was a 29kg load of heroin, at a cost of $ 14,000 per kg .
Anyaoku understood that the heroin would be sold in New York for more than $ 60,000 (a little over R1 million) per kg.
“On June 19, 2018, Anyaoku and one of his associates arrived at a hotel in Johannesburg with the 29 kilograms of heroin hidden in a duffel bag and a wheeled suitcase. Anyaoku was later arrested by South African authorities and detained on hold. of an extradition process.
“The South African Police Service (SAPS) provided significant assistance in the investigation of this case,” the statement said.
