NDLEA smashes cocaine syndicate behind 6 UK-bound shipments, nabs arrowhead, 5 others

…Uncovers 20.5kg Cocaine successful Walls of Cups, Body Cream, Hair Gel Containers; Destroys 24,897kg Skunk successful Edo, Osun Forests

By Kingsley Omonobi

ABUJA — In a drawstring of intelligence-led operations spanning 3 weeks crossed Lagos and different states, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled 2 large cocaine cartels liable for six consignments of the narcotic bound for the United Kingdom.

The crackdown culminated successful the apprehension of the kingpin, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode, a self-styled businessman and property developer, alongside 5 different members of the syndicate. Ode, who returned to Nigeria successful 2024 aft spending implicit 27 years crossed respective European countries, admitted to owning 1 of the intercepted consignments valued astatine implicit ₦150 million.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi revealed that the breakthrough began connected September 16, 2025, erstwhile operatives astatine Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.40kg concealed successful cocoa food assemblage pick containers. A cargo cause was arrested, starring investigators to Ode.

Subsequent seizures betwixt September 26 and October 2 uncovered further cocaine concealed successful hairsbreadth cream, stainless cups, and crayfish packages, weighing a full of 7.1kg. Among those arrested were Smith David Korede, a furnishings shaper linked to aggregate consignments, and suspects Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa.

In a parallel operation, NDLEA foiled a bid to smuggle 6.3kg of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, into Lagos from Thailand, concealed successful bedsheets and hibiscus flowers. Nationwide raids besides netted thousands of pills of tramadol and pregabalin, codeine syrup, synthetic cannabis (Colorado), and skunk.

Highlights include:

Kano: Joint NDLEA-Customs cognition seized 290,450 pills of tramadol and pregabalin from fishy Sa’adu Ali.

Lagos: Arrest of notorious trader “SammyBless” with 550g of Colorado successful Lekki; 109kg of skunk and 20 bottles of codeine seized successful Mushin.

Kwara: 27,700 tramadol pills recovered from fishy Salisu Abubakar.

Kaduna: Over 532kg of skunk seized; suspects arrested successful Kudandan and on Kaduna–Zaria road.

Ogun: 112kg skunk and tramadol recovered successful Isheri.

Osun: 14,000kg skunk plantation destroyed successful Owena/Ijesha wood reserve.

Edo: 10,897.35kg skunk destroyed connected 4 farms; 244.5kg intercepted successful Igbanke.

Kogi/Abuja: Interceptions of Loud and Colorado led to arrests successful Okene, Gwagwalada, and Abaji.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised operatives crossed the state for their “tenacity, professionalism, and balanced approach,” vowing relentless pursuit of cause traffickers.

“These palmy operations should service arsenic a informing that NDLEA volition not relent until the menace of substance maltreatment and illicit trafficking is eliminated,” Marwa declared.

The bureau besides intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, holding sensitization programs successful schools, markets, worship centers, and workplaces crossed states including Adamawa, Katsina, Niger, Lagos, and Imo.

The station NDLEA smashes cocaine syndicate down 6 UK-bound shipments, nabs arrowhead, 5 others appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.