NDLEA Dismantles Cocaine Cartels Behind UK Shipments, Arrests Suspects, Destroys 25,000kg Skunk Nationwide
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled two major cocaine cartels behind six UK-bound shipments, arresting their kingpin, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode, alongside 11 other suspects in a string of intelligence-led operations that spanned over three weeks in Lagos and other states.
Operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.40kg on September 16, concealed in cocoa butter body cream containers. A cargo agent was arrested, and further investigation exposed Ode, who posed as a businessman and real estate developer, as the mastermind.
After weeks of surveillance and collaboration with the police, Ode was arrested. During interrogation, he admitted ownership of the consignment, which he said he purchased for over N150 million. Ode had lived in several European and Middle Eastern countries before returning to Nigeria from the United Kingdom in 2024.
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In a separate sting, NDLEA foiled five other attempts by another cartel to smuggle cocaine to the UK. On September 26, operatives seized 2.10kg of cocaine hidden in hair cream containers at MMIA, leading to the arrest of consignor Smith David Korede, a furniture maker, from whom additional consignments were recovered. More arrests followed, including suspects Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa, linked to cocaine hidden in stainless cups and crayfish.
Beyond Lagos, NDLEA also disrupted several drug trafficking attempts across the country. These included the interception of cannabis strains concealed in courier parcels, tramadol seizures in Kano and Kwara, and the arrest of notorious drug dealers in Lagos, Kaduna, Ogun, Osun, and Edo states. Notably, operatives destroyed 24,897kg of skunk on large cannabis farms in Edo and Osun forests, with multiple suspects arrested.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the operatives for their professionalism and resilience.
“We will continue to target and dismantle every identified drug cartel at all levels — from the mules to their leadership. Every arrest, seizure, and forfeiture means innocent lives saved and communities protected,” Marwa stated.
The Agency also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy, carrying sensitization campaigns to schools, markets, religious institutions, and communities nationwide.
By PRNigeria
