Shocking Drug Bust: NDLEA Seizes N4.4 Billion Cocaine at Lagos Airport, Grilling 30 Suspects

NDLEA Seizes N4.4 Billion Cocaine at Lagos Airport, Grilling 30 Suspects

Operatives from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) made a significant drug bust at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. They seized cocaine consignments valued at N4.4 billion.

The NDLEA reported recovering 845 wraps of cocaine, weighing 18.72 kilograms, from an international drug syndicate operating between Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. The recovery occurred during the post-landing cleaning of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET900 from Addis Ababa to Lagos on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.

“The drug consignments worth Four Billion Four Hundred and Ninety-Two Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N4,492,800,000) in street value were recovered from two lavatories of an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft,” said Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy.

Babafemi explained that the drugs were wrapped in nine polythene bags and hidden in waste collectors in the rear lavatories of the aircraft. The NDLEA’s Strategic Command at MMIA had been alerted about unusual objects, leading to the recovery of the drugs. So far, investigators have questioned at least 30 suspects related to the seizure.

The NDLEA revealed that the drugs traveled from Brazil to Ethiopia through ingestion. Couriers excreted the drugs in Addis Ababa, where other traffickers attempted to smuggle them into Nigeria. Their plan was foiled with the cooperation of the airline’s authorities and airport stakeholders.

In a related case, NDLEA officers blocked attempts to export 2.928 kilograms of cocaine, cannabis, and tramadol concealed in body cream containers and artwork to Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom on October 28.

At the Apapa seaport on October 29, NDLEA operatives seized 754,000 pills of tapentadol and acetaminophen worth N525 million. This interception occurred during a joint examination with customs officials and other security agencies.

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 24-year-old Mujahid Hamisu was arrested on November 2 while carrying 147,000 pills of tramadol. He concealed them in black nylon bags containing plumbing materials along the Kwali-Gwagwalada Abuja expressway. Another suspect, Seun Abimbola, 47, was also arrested that day with 512 grams of methamphetamine during a raid in the FCT.

In Kogi State, NDLEA officers apprehended Mercy Ameh, 28, who was traveling from Lagos to Abuja. A search of her luggage uncovered fake Naira notes worth N4.35 million. Similarly, 27-year-old Shaibu Dahiru was caught with 68 blocks of cannabis weighing 27.4 kilograms on the Lokoja-Okene-Abuja road.

On October 30, the NDLEA arrested Usman Abba, a notorious drug dealer on their watchlist, at Liberty Hotel in Katsina. He was found with consignments of Arizona, a cannabis strain. In Adamawa, Augustine Dike, 31, was caught with 50.3 grams of methamphetamine.

In Taraba, operatives arrested Danlami Fakwa, 46, on November 1, with 49.795 kilograms of cannabis. They also seized a total of 561 kilograms of cannabis from a Sienna bus in Ondo State on October 28.

Across the nation, NDLEA commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign. They conducted sensitization lectures and advocacy visits in schools, workplaces, and communities. Recent lectures reached students at several institutions, including Government Day Secondary School in Adamawa and Regina Catholic International College in Abia State.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), the Chairman and CEO of NDLEA, praised the agency’s officers for their diligent efforts. He commended the continued commitment to WADA initiatives and thanked all commands for their hard work in tackling drug abuse in Nigeria.