NDLEA Intercepts Cannabis, Cocaine Hidden In Microwaves And Lipsticks At Lagos Airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered several large drug smuggling attempts across the country, with traffickers using unusual methods to hide illegal substances.

In a statement, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said “loud” cannabis hidden inside microwaves imported from Thailand and cocaine embedded in ladies’ lipsticks destined for Guinea were seized.

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, NDLEA officers seized 23 parcels of “loud” cannabis weighing 11.3kg. The drugs

According to him, the drugs were hidden inside brand-new microwaves on an Ethiopian Airlines flight that arrived from Bangkok through Addis Ababa.

He added that one suspect, Ezenwegbu Chike, was arrested on July 7 in connection with the seizure.

In a similar bust, NDLEA intercepted cocaine hidden in 84 lipstick tubes intended for shipment to the UK.

On July 11, officers intercepted another batch of cocaine concealed inside lipstick containers among beauty products heading to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

This time, 400 grams of cocaine mixed with a cutting agent called phenacetin were recovered, and a businessman, Ezeikwelume Prince Afam, was arrested in Lagos.

In another major breakthrough, NDLEA’s Special Operations Unit arrested a wanted drug kingpin, Okechukwu Izugha—also known as Okey Omeogo—on July 9 in Lagos.

He had been on the run for a year after being linked to a 9kg cocaine bust in August 2024, and his wife had earlier been convicted for drug trafficking.

In Edo State, NDLEA agents raided three cannabis farms deep in the Ewere Uzebba forest, Owan West LGA, on July 8. Over 28 tonnes of skunk cannabis were destroyed across 11 hectares.

Officers faced gunfire from armed cartel members but managed to complete the operation without injuries, although one vehicle was damaged by bullets. An additional 82kg of processed cannabis was recovered.

Meanwhile, in Lagos, 700kg of compressed Ghanaian “loud” cannabis was seized at Okun-Ajah Beach, along with a delivery truck.

Two suspects, Innocent Ejidiobo and Friday Paul, were arrested on the Ajah-Epe Expressway with 26kg of “loud,” 123g of methamphetamine, 45g of Molly, and a delivery van.

In Borno, NDLEA arrested Godwin Chimaobi Nwaobi on July 12 with over 18,000 ampoules of pentazocine, along with tramadol and rohypnol pills.

A few days earlier, on July 9, Abdulrahman Bello Ahmadu was caught with 10,000 tramadol tablets.

In Gombe, five people were arrested during raids on July 8 and 12, with officers recovering 116,226 pills of tramadol and D5.

Other notable arrests included Sabiu Bala in Kogi with 316.6kg of skunk on July 10, and Haladu Suleiman in Kaduna with 58.8kg of the same drug.

In Taraba, three suspects were caught trying to smuggle nearly 578,000 opioid pills and 1.16kg of skunk hidden inside a petrol tanker on July 12.

NDLEA also arrested three more suspects with 48.1kg of skunk in Kano on July 9.

The NDLEA says it will continues to step up its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking, targeting both high-profile dealers and regional distribution networks.

KanyiDaily recalls that NDLEA recently revealed that two people were caught trying to smuggle cocaine to Saudi Arabia by pretending to be pilgrims heading for the annual Hajj.