NDLEA Seizes N4.4 Billion Worth of Cocaine at Lagos Airport, Grills 30 Suspects

NDLEA Seizes N4.4 Billion Worth of Cocaine at Lagos Airport, Grills 30 Suspects

Lagos, Nigeria* - The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently intercepted 845 wraps of cocaine valued at N4.4 billion, hidden on an Ethiopian Airlines flight at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The seizure thwarted an attempt by an international drug syndicate to smuggle the narcotics from Brazil via Ethiopia into Nigeria.

According to NDLEA, the drugs, weighing 18.72 kilograms, were discovered in nine polythene bags concealed within waste collectors in the rear lavatories of the aircraft. The find was made on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, during post-flight cleaning, after NDLEA’s MMIA Strategic Command was alerted. So far, 30 suspects have been questioned in connection with the smuggling attempt.

Investigations reveal that the cocaine was initially ingested by couriers in Brazil, excreted in Addis Ababa, and then transferred to other traffickers who attempted to bring it into Nigeria. NDLEA received critical support from Ethiopian Airlines and other airport stakeholders in halting the smuggling operation.

In a related operation, NDLEA agents foiled multiple attempts to export narcotics, including 2.9 kg of cocaine, cannabis, and tramadol hidden in body cream containers and artwork, to destinations in Australia, the UAE, and the UK. This interception, made on October 28, targeted consignments in Lagos courier companies.

In further developments, NDLEA operatives at Lagos' Apapa Seaport seized 754,000 pills of tapentadol and acetaminophen, valued at N525 million, during a collaborative examination with the Customs Service. The drugs were found in a container from India and were flagged based on intelligence monitoring.

Operations also extended beyond Lagos. In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a suspect named Mujahid Hamisu, 24, was arrested on November 2 while transporting 147,000 tramadol pills from Onitsha to Abuja. Another suspect, Seun Abimbola, 47, was apprehended with methamphetamine at Giri Junction.

In Kogi State, on October 30, officers stopped two suspects, Mercy Ameh and Shaibu Dahiru, on separate occasions, seizing fake currency worth N4.35 million and 68 blocks of cannabis, respectively. Meanwhile, in Katsina State, a notorious drug dealer known as "Timaya" was arrested with "Arizona" cannabis strains, marking the culmination of a long-term investigation.

Arrests continued in Adamawa, Taraba, Ondo, and Kaduna states. Notable among them was the capture of 561 kg of cannabis in Ondo and 603.6 kg in Edo during a series of raids.

In tandem with enforcement, NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative advanced nationwide through outreach events at schools, workplaces, religious centers, and community forums. These sessions, held in multiple states, focused on raising awareness about drug abuse prevention.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised officers across Nigeria for their dedication in recent operations and commended their efforts in WADA advocacy.