In a breakthrough against international drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled two powerful cocaine cartels responsible for multiple drug shipments destined for the United Kingdom.
According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, the three-week-long operations across Lagos led to the arrest of six suspects, including the alleged kingpin, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode, a supposed businessman and real estate developer.
Babafemi revealed that the first operation began on September 16, 2025, when NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.4 kilograms, cleverly concealed in cocoa butter body cream containers.
“A cargo agent was arrested immediately, and intelligence traced the consignment to Alhaji Ode, who was later apprehended with the cooperation of the police,” Babafemi stated.
During interrogation, Ode confessed ownership of the cocaine, claiming he purchased it for ₦150 million. He also revealed that he had lived in multiple European countries — including Austria, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia — before settling in the UK in 2024.
Babafemi added that Ode’s arrest followed weeks of coordinated intelligence gathering and surveillance by the NDLEA.
In another successful operation on October 2, 2025, NDLEA officers intercepted two more cocaine-laden consignments concealed in crayfish and stainless cups meant for export to the UK. Two suspects, Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa, were arrested.
“One of the consignments contained 12 stainless cups filled with 1.00kg of cocaine, while another shipment contained 36 containers of hair cream used to hide 1.60kg of cocaine,” Babafemi explained.
The NDLEA reaffirmed its commitment to combating illicit drug trafficking and dismantling transnational cartels that use deceptive methods to smuggle narcotics abroad.
Over the years, the agency has intercepted several high-profile drug consignments destined for the UK, Europe, and Asia, often concealed in food items, cosmetics, and industrial goods.
This latest operation, described as one of the most coordinated in recent months, underscores Nigeria’s renewed fight against drug syndicates exploiting export channels for illicit trade
Ndlea great job 👍👍
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