The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted cocaine hidden in unusual items such as lipsticks and property documents, as part of a sweeping operation that has led to major drug busts and arrests across Nigeria.
In a statement on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the drugs were discovered on Thursday, July 3, at a logistics firm in Lagos. Officials found 420 grams of cocaine concealed in 84 pieces of factory-sealed female lipsticks en route to the United Kingdom. In a separate parcel heading to Saudi Arabia, 280 grams of the same drug were hidden inside a Certificate of Occupancy document.
He said that in Lagos, a suspected drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, also known as “Warri Kinsman,” was arrested following a three-day operation that led to the seizure of over 414 kilograms of Canadian Loud cannabis and the arrest of three of his alleged accomplices.
He added that in another incident, a Lagos-based family was exposed as running a large drug distribution network. Businessman Ajah Johnson, his wife Rosemary, their daughters Stella and Ngozi, and a family friend, Okoro Elijah, were arrested after operatives discovered over 500 kilograms of skunk during raids on their home and storage facilities. The initial arrest was made by the Department of State Services and later transferred to the NDLEA for further investigation.
At Murtala Muhammed International Airport, a frequent traveller, Aburemi Hysent, was caught attempting to smuggle 7,660 tramadol pills concealed in food items bound for Italy. He allegedly admitted that he was promised 800 euros to deliver the consignment.
Further investigations at the airport led to the interception of 52 counterfeit travellers’ cheques worth 17.7 million Australian dollars, hidden inside children’s books. The cheques were being sent to Malaysia via Istanbul. A freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, was arrested and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The NDLEA also reported several operations across different parts of the country. In Lagos, 359 kilograms of skunk were recovered at the Seme border, while 10,000 tramadol pills and over 1 kilogram of Colorado were seized along the Okene-Lokoja highway. In Osun State, operatives made arrests and seized more than 62,000 opioid pills between July 1 and 3 in Osogbo and Ile-Ife. A cannabis farm covering nearly 10 hectares was also destroyed in Oke-Ila.
More drug seizures were recorded in Borno, Zaria-Kano road, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, Taraba, Edo, and Cross River, with hundreds of kilograms of narcotics and thousands of pills taken off the streets. In one of the operations, a 78-year-old man was among those arrested for possession.
The NDLEA said the operations form part of a nationwide strategy to clamp down on drug trafficking and abuse, urging members of the public to continue supporting efforts to keep communities drug-free.