NDLEA reports seizures exceeding ₦5bn and arrests cocaine suspect

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency says it has intercepted drug consignments worth more than ₦5bn at Nigerian ports and arrested a businessman allegedly attempting to smuggle 4.80kg of cocaine to Italy. The suspect, identified by the agency as 38-year-old Philip Tunde, was arrested on September 27 at a screening point at Terminal 2 of Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport. NDLEA said he was preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan.

According to an agency statement, officers found 16 parcels of cocaine concealed in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes. They also found 195 wraps hidden in the railings of four travelling bags. The agency said the suspect claimed he paid ₦16m for the cocaine in the shoes and that the other consignment was intended for a partner in Italy.

At Apapa Port, officers working with Customs and other agencies seized 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124kg. The drugs, valued at ₦372m, were allegedly hidden in refrigerators and cartons inside a container shipped from Bangkok. At Onne Port, officers recovered 40 packs of Loud weighing 22kg and 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg.

NDLEA valued the combined Onne consignments at ₦833.2m and said the codeine container had travelled from India to Saudi Arabia before being shipped onwards. At Tincan Island Port, a container from Montreal contained 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5kg. The agency valued the drugs at more than ₦3.8bn and said they were concealed in two vehicles, drums and bags.

NDLEA also reported seizures and arrests in several states, including the destruction of 20,234kg of cannabis in Osun and the recovery of tramadol, methamphetamine and cannabis products in Lagos, Kogi, Plateau and Edo. Chairman Mohamed Marwa commended officers and urged continued enforcement alongside prevention and public education.