Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted cocaine consignments ingeniously concealed in lipsticks and property title documents bound for the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, respectively.
According to a statement released on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, the illicit drugs were discovered during an inspection of outgoing cargo at a courier company in Lagos on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) recovered 420 grams of cocaine factory-fitted inside 84 pieces of female lipsticks heading to the UK. In a separate package, 280 grams of the same Class A drug were found hidden within a property title document (Certificate of Occupancy) destined for Saudi Arabia.
Major Drug Kingpin Arrested in Lagos
In a related development, the agency announced the arrest of a notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as 'Warri Kinsman,' on Saturday, June 28, in Ikeja, Lagos. The arrest followed a three-day operation that dismantled his drug trafficking network and led to the apprehension of three other suspects.
NDLEA operatives recovered 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 414.2 kilograms, from Emami's network. Intelligence reports indicated that Emami was attempting to move the shipment to the Lekki area of Lagos for distribution across the state and country.
Family-Run Drug Network Busted
The agency also reported the arrest of a businessman, Ajah Johnson Uchenna, and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, who allegedly operated a major illicit drug distribution network in Lagos. The couple was initially arrested on Friday, June 13, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the Ojo area with 277.5 kg of skunk before being transferred to NDLEA custody.
While the couple was being investigated, intelligence revealed that their family business was continuing to operate. A subsequent raid on their home and packing store on Tuesday, July 1, yielded an additional 231 kg of the same substance. Three more individuals were arrested during the raid, including the couple's two daughters, Ngozi Uchenna and Blessing Uchenna, along with a family friend, Okoro Elijah, who were allegedly running the business in the couple's absence.
International Drug Trafficking Attempts Foiled
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted a frequent flyer, Aburemi Hysent, who specializes in conveying goods between Nigeria and Italy. The suspect was found with 7,660 pills of Tramadol 225mg and 200mg hidden inside food items. He reportedly confessed that he was to be paid 800 euros upon successful delivery of the drugs in Italy.
In another operation at the Lagos airport on Friday, July 4, NDLEA officers intercepted 52 pieces of travelers' cheques concealed in children's books. The cheques, worth 17,700,000 Australian dollars, were bound for Malaysia via Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight. A freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, was arrested in connection with the suspected counterfeit cheques, which will be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.
Nationwide Drug Seizures
The NDLEA also reported significant drug seizures across multiple states:
At Seme border in Badagry, officers recovered 718 big balls of skunk weighing 359 kg from a store in the Baba-Pupa area on July 5.
Along the Okene-Lokoja highway, operatives intercepted 10,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg and co-codamol, as well as 1.050 kg of Colorado, leading to the arrest of three suspects at Jabi Park in Abuja.
In Osun State, two suspects were arrested in Ajegunle, Osogbo, with 13,901 pills and ampoules of various opioids, while another suspect was apprehended in Ile-Ife with 48,205 pills of opioids.
NDLEA operatives destroyed 24,175 kilograms of skunk on 9.67 hectares of cannabis farmland at Ikaka, Oke-Ila forest in Osun State, arresting seven suspects.
In Borno, 167 kg of skunk was recovered at Gamboru-Ngala, while 452 kg of the same substance was seized along the Zaria-Kano road in Kano State.
Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended the officers involved in these operations for their dedication to balancing drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts across the country.
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