NDLEA Busts Cocaine Hidden in Food Flasks, Arrests Fashion Designer

NDLEA Busts Cocaine Hidden in Food Flasks, Arrests Fashion Designer

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja 

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted illicit drugs concealed in food containers and snack packs, arresting several suspects, including a Lagos-based fashion designer, in a series of operations across the country.

The agency disclosed that 12 parcels of cocaine weighing 2.8 kilogrammes were uncovered at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, hidden in false compartments of food flasks bound for the United Kingdom.

According to the statement, two cargo agents were initially arrested in connection with the consignment, while further investigation led to the arrest of the alleged sender, a freight forwarder.

In a separate operation at the airport’s import section, NDLEA officers intercepted 2.9 kilogrammes of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in snack packs arriving from the United States.

The seizure led to the arrest of two clearing agents, with the consignee, identified as a 29-year-old fashion designer, later apprehended in a follow-up raid in Lagos.

The agency’s enforcement activities extended beyond the airports. In Kaduna, operatives intercepted a truck loaded with cement along the Kaduna–Zaria highway and discovered 847 kilogrammes of skunk hidden within the cargo. The driver was taken into custody.

In Cross River State, a joint operation involving NDLEA officers and security personnel led to the arrest of a 53-year-old woman during a raid on a forest in Akamkpa Local Government Area.

The operation resulted in the destruction of about 15,000 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on several hectares of farmland, while additional quantities were recovered.

A similar raid in Edo State led to the destruction of over 2,200 kilogrammes of cannabis, with multiple suspects arrested at the scene. In Delta State, two individuals were apprehended with substantial quantities of the substance and its seeds.

In Lagos, operatives intercepted a consignment of tramadol capsules and phenobarbital injections along the Mile 2–Badagry corridor, allegedly being transported to Ghana. Another raid on a building in Lagos Island yielded nearly 100 kilogrammes of skunk.

The agency noted that its operations are part of a broader nationwide effort to curb drug trafficking and abuse, combining enforcement with public awareness campaigns under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative.

Chairman of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations across various commands, urging them to sustain the momentum.

He noted that the agency would continue to balance drug supply reduction with advocacy programmes aimed at discouraging substance abuse, particularly among young people.