NDLEA intercepts cocaine shipments concealed in auto parts, mattresses

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully intercepted multiple drug consignments, preventing illicit substances from being trafficked both within and outside Nigeria.

In a series of operations carried out across major transport hubs in the country, NDLEA operatives seized cocaine and cannabis hidden in vehicle parts, imported cars, and even ingested by a suspect attempting to smuggle drugs to Turkey.

A drug trafficking attempt by an auto spare parts dealer, Okeke Ebuka Igwe, was thwarted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. The suspect allegedly tried to export two parcels of cocaine, weighing 1.10 kilograms, concealed within vehicle propellers.

Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives arrested Igwe on Monday, February 24, 2025. During an interrogation conducted by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the suspect claimed he was a businessman operating an auto parts business at ASPANDA, Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos.

In another operation, NDLEA operatives intercepted Ezechi Iyke Cyprian, who was attempting to transport a large cocaine consignment weighing 5.40 kilograms to Owerri, Imo State.

The suspect was apprehended on Sunday, February 23, 2025, while traveling in his Toyota Sienna bus. His arrest followed weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance by a special operations unit of the NDLEA.

At the Tincan Seaport in Lagos, operatives discovered a significant shipment of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis. A total of 128 parcels, weighing 63.75 kilograms, were concealed inside two mattresses in the trunk of a Toyota Venza imported from Canada.

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The illicit cargo was discovered on February 28, 2025, during a joint examination of a targeted container marked TCNU 1945861 from Montreal, Canada. NDLEA, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, successfully intercepted the shipment and arrested the consignee, 44-year-old Bamidele Joseph, who is now in custody.

At Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano, NDLEA officers arrested a 42-year-old Angolan businessman, Mbala Dajou Abuba, for attempting to smuggle cocaine to Istanbul, Turkey. The suspect, a native of Zaire Province in Angola, was intercepted on February 25, 2025, while trying to board an Egypt Air flight MS 880 to Istanbul via Cairo.

A body scan confirmed that he had ingested illicit drugs, leading NDLEA operatives to place him under excretion observation. Over several hours, Abuba expelled 120 pellets of cocaine, weighing a total of 1.829 kilograms, in seven separate excretions.

During interrogation, he claimed to have previously operated a township delivery service business in Angola before venturing into drug trafficking.

The latest interceptions highlight the NDLEA’s relentless efforts in combating drug trafficking through intelligence-led operations across Nigeria’s ports, airports, and transport routes.

The agency has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that drug traffickers face the full weight of the law while protecting Nigerian and international communities from the dangers of illicit substances.