Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine and various opioids concealed in the walls of cartons used to package clothes and other items bound for the United Kingdom and Australia.
The seizures were made at a courier company in Lagos on Friday, May 15, 2026, during the examination of shipments destined for the UK and Australia.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that a total of 170 grams of cocaine sealed in cellophane parcels and concealed within the walls of a carton containing clothes bound for Australia was recovered.
“A wide range of opioids, including 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 1,100 capsules of tramadol, and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection, were recovered from another carton with the United Kingdom as its final destination,” Babafemi stated.
Highlighting the agency’s operations across the country in the past week, the NDLEA spokesman said operatives in Delta State, on Sunday, May 10, raided Ejeonu Village in Ukwuani Local Government Area, where they destroyed 27,500 kilograms of skunk on 11 hectares of farmland and recovered an additional 22.9 kilograms of the same substance.
He added that a 52-year-old suspect, Ifeanyichukwu Peter, was arrested in a follow-up operation at Obiaruku.
“A similar raid in Orogun Village, Ughelli North Local Government Area, on Tuesday, May 12, led to the destruction of 37,500 kilograms and the recovery of 55.4 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance on 15 hectares of farmland, as well as the arrest of 30-year-old Godwin Vincent Osadera. This brings the total quantity of skunk destroyed by NDLEA operatives, supported by soldiers, in the two operations to 65,000 kilograms,” Babafemi said.
He further stated that 361 kilograms of skunk were recovered and a suspect, Husaini Suleiman, 42, arrested during a raid operation at Dan Magaji area of Zaria, Kaduna State, on Wednesday, May 13.
Babafemi also disclosed that a large cache of military-grade ammunition was intercepted by NDLEA officers on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway on Tuesday, May 12.
“A suspect, 35-year-old Abdullahi Hassan, was caught conveying 1,989 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition concealed in fresh white cassava granules, locally known as garri. Both the suspect and the exhibits have since been transferred to another security agency for further investigation,” he explained.
In the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Monday, May 11, arrested a 29-year-old businessman, Ogadi Peter, alleged to specialise in producing drug-laced cakes and cookies for parties and social gatherings in the capital city.
“Following credible intelligence, he was traced to his residence in the Life Camp area of the FCT, where he was arrested. About 800 grams of skunk and 2.70 kilograms of drug-laced cookies were recovered from him,” Babafemi added.
Commending the operatives for the string of successes, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised officers across the country for maintaining a balance between drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
