NDLEA Arrests Milan-Bound Cocaine Suspect, Intercepts Over N5bn Worth of Drugs at Ports

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced a major series of drug interceptions across Nigeria, including the arrest of a 38-year-old businessman allegedly preparing to travel to Italy with 4.8 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed inside shoes and travelling bags.

The arrest formed part of a wider operation that also led to the seizure of illicit drug consignments valued at more than N5 billion at major seaports in Lagos and Rivers State.

The suspect, identified as Philip Tunde, was arrested on September 27 at the joint screening point of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan.

A search of his luggage reportedly uncovered 16 parcels of cocaine concealed inside the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes.

Investigators also discovered another 195 wraps of the substance hidden inside the railings of four travelling bags.

The recovered substance reportedly tested positive for cocaine, with the combined weight put at 4.8 kilogrammes.

During questioning, Tunde allegedly told investigators that he paid N16 million in cash for the cocaine hidden in the shoes.

He reportedly claimed that the cocaine concealed in the travelling bags was intended to be delivered to a business associate in Italy.

The suspect also allegedly said the money used to purchase the cocaine came from compensation he received following an industrial accident in Italy in which he lost the tips of two fingers while working at a plastic manufacturing company.

His account remains part of the ongoing investigation and does not by itself establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged trafficking operation.

The airport arrest was only one part of the wider anti-drug operation conducted by the agency across different locations.

At the Apapa Port in Lagos, operatives working alongside the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant agencies reportedly intercepted a container carrying Thai Loud, a potent strain of cannabis.

The container had been shipped from Bangkok, Thailand, and was subjected to a full examination after being flagged through intelligence gathered by the agency.

The inspection resulted in the discovery of 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124 kilogrammes.

The consignment was reportedly valued at N372 million based on its estimated street value.

The drugs had allegedly been concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons within the container, in an attempt to prevent their detection during the movement of the shipment.

Another significant seizure was made at the Onne Port in Rivers State, where two containers previously placed on the agency’s watchlist were subjected to joint examination.

The operation uncovered additional quantities of Loud as well as a large shipment of codeine-based cough syrup.

In one of the containers, officers reportedly discovered 40 packs of Loud weighing 22 kilogrammes.

The substance was hidden inside a travelling bag and three vehicles among five vehicles shipped in the container.

The vehicles included a Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra.

The second container contained an even larger quantity of pharmaceutical-based illicit substances.

Investigators reportedly recovered 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup from the container.

The total weight of the syrup was estimated at 16,440 kilogrammes.

The agency said the shipment had originated from India and was initially sent to Saudi Arabia before being transported onward.

The shipment’s history was allegedly altered or deleted at an earlier stage of the journey in an apparent attempt to make it more difficult for authorities to trace its origin.

The Loud and codeine consignments intercepted at Onne were jointly valued at about N833.2 million in street value.

The operation at Onne demonstrates the increasing use of intelligence-led examination of containers suspected of being connected to international drug trafficking networks.

Rather than subjecting every container to the same level of scrutiny, agencies can use intelligence and shipment information to identify consignments considered suspicious and then conduct more detailed examinations.

The NDLEA said the latest port seizures followed months of intelligence gathering and monitoring of the movements of the consignments from their points of origin.

Another major seizure was recorded at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.

A container shipped from Montreal, Canada, was placed under watch and later subjected to a joint examination involving the NDLEA, Customs and other relevant agencies.

The inspection reportedly resulted in the discovery of 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing approximately 1,297.5 kilogrammes.

The cannabis was concealed inside a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Elantra, as well as other items contained in the shipment.

The consignment was estimated to have a street value of more than N3.8 billion, making it one of the largest components of the recent seizures.

Taken together, the interceptions at Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne ports accounted for more than N5 billion in estimated illicit drug value.

The agency’s operations did not end at the ports.

In Osun State, operatives reportedly destroyed a large cannabis plantation covering approximately 8.09 hectares in the Ife South Local Government Area.

About 20,234 kilogrammes of cannabis, commonly referred to as skunk, were destroyed during the operation.

The destruction of the farm is significant because eliminating cultivation sites cuts off drug production at its source rather than focusing only on finished substances being transported to consumers.

The agency also reported several arrests and seizures in other parts of the country during the same period.

In Lagos, operatives raided an unoccupied compound in Divine Estate, Ago Palace, where they reportedly recovered 209,000 tablets of tramadol.

A separate follow-up operation at Ladipo Spare Parts Market led to the arrest of a 23-year-old suspect following the earlier recovery of Colorado cannabis and methamphetamine concealed inside an energy drink bottle being transported as a waybill package.

In Kogi State, NDLEA personnel conducting patrol operations along the Okene-Lokoja highway intercepted a commuter bus travelling from Lagos towards Abuja.

Two sachets containing methamphetamine weighing about one kilogramme were reportedly discovered inside a waybill consignment.

A follow-up investigation subsequently led to the arrest of the alleged owner of the consignment, Michael Chukwuememka Uzoma, 29, at Utako in Abuja.

In Edo State, operatives also raided the residence of a suspect in Uyere community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area.

The operation reportedly resulted in the recovery of 32.2 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa.

Another suspect, Osazuwa Iyabor Michael, 23, was arrested at the Auchi Bypass in Benin City.

Items recovered from him reportedly included Loud, Colorado cannabis, Tramadol, methamphetamine, Swinol and Molly.

The nationwide operations also resulted in the arrest of a fugitive who had been wanted for years.

Idris Mohammed Kurra, 47, was arrested six years after allegedly jumping bail in a drug-related case before the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State.

Kurra had reportedly been facing trial in connection with allegations involving the possession and dealing of 198 kilogrammes of skunk.

The agency said he had been on the run since December 2020 after failing to return to court following the granting of bail.

The series of operations highlights the different methods allegedly being used by drug trafficking networks to move illicit substances.

The recent interceptions involved international air travel, commercial buses, shipping containers, motor vehicles, travelling bags and concealed compartments.

Drug traffickers often attempt to exploit legitimate commercial systems by hiding prohibited substances among ordinary goods or using apparently routine international shipments.

The discovery of cocaine inside shoe soles and bag railings at Lagos airport illustrates the lengths to which traffickers may allegedly go to conceal drugs from security screening.

The port seizures similarly show the challenges involved in inspecting large volumes of international cargo entering the country.

For authorities, intelligence gathering has become an increasingly important component of efforts to identify suspicious shipments before they reach their intended destinations.

The NDLEA has continued to combine interdiction operations with public awareness programmes under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative.

The agency has conducted sensitisation activities in schools, workplaces, religious centres and communities, focusing on the dangers associated with drug abuse and trafficking.

The latest operations have also renewed attention on the relationship between international drug trafficking networks and Nigeria’s transport infrastructure.

Lagos remains a major international aviation and maritime hub, while the Onne Port in Rivers State serves as an important gateway for cargo entering the country.

The movement of illicit substances through these locations presents a significant challenge for enforcement agencies because criminals can attempt to disguise illegal consignments among legitimate international trade.

The NDLEA’s latest seizures also involved substances with very different forms and methods of concealment.

The cocaine recovered at the airport was hidden in personal items associated with international travel, while the cannabis and codeine were concealed in commercial cargo.

The agency said its intelligence-led approach helped expose the shipments before they could enter the wider distribution network.

The estimated street values attached to the seizures demonstrate the scale of the financial incentives driving the illicit drug trade.

With the intercepted consignments valued at more than N5 billion, the operations potentially disrupted significant trafficking activities and prevented the substances from reaching their intended destinations.

However, the arrests and seizures also mean that investigators will need to establish the wider networks behind the consignments.

In the case of the Italy-bound suspect, authorities may seek to determine who supplied the cocaine, who arranged its concealment and who was expected to receive the drugs in Italy.

Similarly, the international shipments intercepted at the seaports could provide investigators with information about the importers, financiers and intended distributors behind the consignments.

The continued use of international routes also highlights the need for cooperation between Nigerian authorities and agencies in other countries.

Drug trafficking networks rarely operate within the boundaries of a single country, making international intelligence sharing important in identifying the people responsible for organising shipments.

For now, the NDLEA says investigations and prosecution processes will continue in connection with the suspects and recovered substances.

The agency has also urged its officers across the country to maintain intelligence-driven operations while continuing public education efforts.

The latest arrests and seizures represent another major intervention in Nigeria’s ongoing campaign against illicit drug trafficking, with operations spanning airports, seaports, highways, residential areas and cannabis-producing locations.

The case involving the Milan-bound businessman is particularly notable because of the elaborate concealment methods allegedly used to transport the cocaine.

At the ports, the discovery of cannabis and codeine worth billions of naira demonstrates the scale of the challenge facing authorities as criminal networks attempt to exploit international trade routes.

With investigations continuing, attention will now turn to identifying the wider networks behind the intercepted consignments and ensuring that those found responsible are brought before the appropriate courts.