NDLEA Seizes Cocaine Bound For United Kingdom And Destroys Massive Cannabis Plantations Nationwide

NDLEA operatives seize cocaine hidden in food flasks at Lagos airport and destroy 17,000kg of cannabis in forest raids across Edo and Cross River.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 20, 2026, 5:53 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Daily Nigerian

Lagos Airport Operatives Thwart Cocaine Export To London

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully intercepted a significant consignment of cocaine destined for the United Kingdom. According to a statement released on Sunday by agency spokesman Femi Babafemi, 12 large parcels of the drug were discovered hidden within the false bottoms of food flasks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. The seizure, which weighed approximately 2.80 kilograms, took place on Thursday, April 16, at the airport’s export shed. Three individuals, including a 52 year old freight and forwarding agent, were arrested in connection with the failed smuggling attempt.

Fashion Designer Arrested In Strong Strain Cannabis Probe

In a separate airport operation, NDLEA officers at the Lagos import shed intercepted a 2.90 kilogram shipment of "Loud," a highly potent strain of cannabis originating from the United States. The illicit substance was concealed within snack food packs arriving on a Delta Airlines flight. Following the initial arrest of two clearing agents, investigators conducted a follow up operation on Monday in the Ogba area of Lagos. This led to the apprehension of the primary consignee, a 29 year old fashion designer, who is now in custody as the agency continues its investigation into the supply chain.

Interception Of Narcotics In Transit To Jigawa And Ghana

Road interdiction efforts yielded further results on Monday when officers along the Kaduna Zaria highway stopped a trailer transporting cement to Hadeja, Jigawa State. Upon searching the vehicle, operatives recovered 847 kilograms of "skunk" cannabis varieties distributed across 760 blocks and 33 jumbo bags. Simultaneously, at the Mile 2 area of the Lagos Badagry expressway, two suspects were intercepted while attempting to transport 11,900 capsules of tramadol and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injection toward Ghana, highlighting the cross border nature of current trafficking networks.