A Nigerian man, Edwin Anyaoku, has been sentenced to five years in prison for trafficking more than 30kg of heroine meant for the US.

Anyaoku, 54, was extradited to the US last year after an arrested carried out in July 2018 during a joint operation by the Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (SAEB) and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

He was extradited after an authorization by Justice Minister Michael Masutha in April, 2019.

The US Department of Justice cited court documents which show that Anyaoku was a heroine trafficker based in Johannesburg.

“In that part of the world, heroin typically originates in Pakistan or Afghanistan, then transits the southern part of Africa before being smuggled elsewhere. In December 2017, a law enforcement confidential source negotiated to buy one kilogram of heroin from Anyaoku in exchange for $15,000 (just over R250 000).

Profit

“Anyaoku understood that the confidential source would be distributing the heroin for profit in the United States,” the US Attorney’s Office in the eastern district of Virginia explained.

The 1kg was a test run which would see Anyaoku negotiate for a 29 kg of heroin, at a cost of $14,000 per kg with a source in June 2018.

The heroine would be sold in New York for more than $60,000 (just 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 rolling suitcase. Anyaoku was then arrested by South African authorities and detained pending extradition proceedings.

“The South African Police Service (SAPS) provided significant assistance in the investigation of this case,” the statement said.