NDLEA Intercepts Cocaine Smuggled In Lipsticks And Documents

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dealt a significant blow to international drug trafficking networks with the interception of cocaine consignments cleverly concealed in female lipsticks and property title documents destined for the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.

‎The seizures, announced on Sunday, July 6, 2025, highlight the agency’s ongoing efforts to curb the smuggling of illicit drugs from Nigeria.

‎According to a statement by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, operatives from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) uncovered the consignments on Thursday, July 3, 2025, at a courier company in Lagos.

‎A total of 420 grams of cocaine was found factory-fitted into 84 pieces of female lipsticks bound for the UK, while an additional 280 grams was hidden inside a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) intended for shipment to Saudi Arabia.

‎The sophisticated concealment methods underscore the lengths to which traffickers go to evade detection.

‎In a separate operation, the NDLEA dismantled a major drug trafficking network in Lagos, culminating in the arrest of notorious drug kingpin Ajetsibo Emami, alias “Warri Kinsman,” on June 28, 2025.

‎Following a three-day intelligence-led operation, Emami and three associates were apprehended in Ikeja, with authorities seizing 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 414.2 kilograms.

‎The bust followed credible intelligence about Emami’s plans to distribute the shipment from Lekki across Lagos and beyond.

‎Further operations at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos revealed additional illicit activities.

‎On July 2, NDLEA operatives intercepted Aburemi Hysent, a frequent flyer specializing in transporting goods between Nigeria and Italy. Hysent was caught with 7,660 tramadol pills (225mg and 200mg) concealed in food items, confessing he was promised €800 for successful delivery in Italy.

‎On July 4, authorities seized 52 suspected counterfeit travelers’ cheques worth AU$17.7 million, hidden in children’s books and bound for Malaysia via Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight.

‎The freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, was arrested and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

‎The NDLEA’s nationwide crackdown extended beyond Lagos. At the Seme border in Badagry, operatives recovered 718 large balls of skunk weighing 359 kilograms from a store in the Baba-Pupa area on July 5.

‎In Osun State, a raid on a 9.67-hectare cannabis farm in the Oke-Ila forest destroyed 24,175 kilograms of skunk, with seven suspects arrested.

‎Additional seizures included 167 kilograms of skunk in Borno, 452 kilograms in Kano, and various quantities of tramadol and diazepam in Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Taraba.

‎NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the operatives for their vigilance and balanced approach to drug supply and demand reduction.

‎“These seizures and arrests reflect the commitment of our officers across multiple commands,” Marwa said, urging sustained efforts to disrupt trafficking networks.

‎The operations also uncovered a family-run drug syndicate in Lagos, involving businessman Ajah Johnson Uchenna, his wife Rosemary, their daughters Stella and Ngozi, and a family friend, Okoro Elijah.

‎The family was linked to 508.5 kilograms of skunk seized in two raids, following their initial arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS) on June 13.

‎These successes come amid the NDLEA’s broader War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, which includes public sensitization campaigns in Lagos, Enugu, Katsina, and Borno to reduce drug demand.

‎As investigations continue, the NDLEA’s actions send a strong message to traffickers: Nigeria’s borders and airports remain under intense scrutiny, with no room for illicit activities to go undetected.


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