Names of SA drug lords revealed

Nigerian mafias are ruling the roost in the country's illicit narcotic market

- By Queenin Masuabi and Mawande AmaShabalala

A confidential police report submitted to parliament by suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu has revealed the identities of drug mafiosi in South Africa, with Nigerian drug lords dominating the illicit drug trafficking business in the country.

The report, which was compiled by the SAPS's Crime Intelligence and Forensic Services division, and presented to Mchunu in June, identified Nigerians as local modern-day Pablo Escobars in South Africa.

It identifies Stanley Egbo, Michael Ifebuche, Sunny Nwobodo, Johnson Aneke and Kingsley Chukwu as the drug kingpins in Gauteng, which is the country's most lucrative territory.

In Free State, the top two drug czars are identified as Nigerian nationals named Uneh Umeh and Uneh Ukuruibe.

Of the five profiled kingpins in North West, three are Nigerians identified as Yusuf Kaloo, Tonny Okechukwu and David Chukwu. In Limpopo, two alleged Nigerian mafiosi named Augustine Enejike and Simon Nkahukwu, are ruling the roost.

The coastal belt of Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are the only places where local drug lords rule.

For instance, in Western Cape, notorious underworld bosses Ralph Stanfield, Donkey Booysen and Nassief Modack are identified as major players on the Cape Town streets.

In KwaZulu-Natal, eThekwini is the epicentre specifically Phoenix and Umlazi.