NDLEA Seizes N5bn Worth of Drugs at Lagos, Rivers Ports, Arrests Milan-Bound Suspect

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of illicit drugs worth more than N5 billion at the Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne seaports, while also arresting a 28-year-old businessman allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine to Italy.

The seizures followed months of intelligence gathering and surveillance by NDLEA operatives tracking the consignments from their countries of origin.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, several containers were subjected to joint examinations involving NDLEA personnel, Customs and other security agencies.

At the Apapa Port in Lagos, operatives recovered 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124kg and valued at N372 million. The drugs were allegedly concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons.

The agency said the consignment originated from Bangkok, Thailand.

The statement read, “At the Apapa port in Lagos, NDLEA officers, acting on intelligence, subjected two containers from Bangkok, Thailand, to 100 per cent examination with men of Customs and other stakeholders. A search of one of the containers on Saturday, 3rd September, yielded 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124kg, worth N372,000,000, concealed in two refrigerators and two cartons.

At the Tin Can Island Port, NDLEA operatives recovered another large consignment of cannabis allegedly shipped from Canada.

The agency said 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud, weighing 1,297.5kg and valued at more than N3.8 billion, were concealed inside a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Elantra, alongside 24 blue drums and six jumbo bags.

“At the Tincan Island port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, 29th September, conducted a joint examination of a watch-listed container from Montreal, Canada, with Customs and other stakeholders. As a result, a total of 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5kg were concealed in a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Elantra, with 24 blue drums and six jumbo bags in the container. The consignment was worth over N3.8 billion in street value.

At the Onne Port in Rivers State, another two containers flagged through intelligence were searched, leading to the discovery of Loud and a large quantity of codeine-based cough syrup.

The NDLEA said 40 packs of Loud weighing 22kg were found concealed in a travelling bag and three of five vehicles shipped in one of the containers.

The second container contained 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg.

“At the Onne port in Rivers State, two containers watch-listed by NDLEA based on processed intelligence were subjected to joint examination with Customs and other security agencies, during which 40 packs of Loud weighing 22kg were found hidden in a travelling bag and three of five vehicles (Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra) shipped in one of the containers, while the second container held 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg. The container had left India for Saudi Arabia, where the history of its origin was deleted, to avoid being targeted. The codeine and Loud consignments have a combined street value of N833,200,000.”

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, have arrested a businessman identified as Philip Tunde, who was allegedly preparing to travel to Milan, Italy, with cocaine concealed in shoes and travelling bags.

Tunde, 28, was arrested on September 27, 2026, at the joint screening point of Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan.

The agency said the suspect was found with 4.80kg of cocaine concealed in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes, as well as inside the railings of four travelling bags.

According to the NDLEA, “at the joint screening point, Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport ahead of his Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy.

“A thorough search by NDLEA operatives led to the recovery of 16 parcels of white powdery substance hidden in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes, plus 195 wraps of the same substance concealed in the railings of four travelling bags. The substances tested positive for cocaine, with a combined weight of 4.80kg.”

During interrogation, the suspect allegedly disclosed how he obtained the drugs and the intended destination of part of the consignment.

The agency noted that during the interview, Tunde “claimed he paid N16 million in cash for the cocaine in the shoes, while the consignment in the bags was meant for delivery to his partner in Italy. He said he raised the money from compensation paid to him for an injury at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy, in which he lost the tips of two fingers.”

Elsewhere, the NDLEA reported additional arrests and seizures as part of its nationwide operations against drug trafficking and illicit drug cultivation.

In Osun State, operatives destroyed 20,234kg of skunk cultivated on 8.0936 hectares of cannabis farm in Area 4 of Ife South Local Government Area.

The agency also reported a major seizure in Lagos following a raid on an unoccupied compound at Divine Estate, Ago Palace.

“In Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Monday 28th September raided an unoccupied compound at Divine Estate, Ago Palace, where they recovered 209,000 tablets of tramadol, while a 23-year-old Ekundayo Taiwo, was nabbed on Wednesday 30th September in a follow-up operation at Ladipo Spare Parts Market following the seizure of 61 grams of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis and 24 grams of methamphetamine hidden in a bottle of an energy drink as a waybill package from a commercial bus driver along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway the previous day,” among others.

Reacting to the seizures and arrests, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the operatives for the successful operations.

Marwa also called for continued efforts against drug trafficking networks across the country.