The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered and dismantled a social media–based drug distribution network that packaged illicit substances as imported Christmas cookies and snacks, arresting two masterminds in Lagos.
In a statement on Sunday, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said operatives raided the syndicate’s hideout in the Ikate area of Lekki, Lagos, following credible intelligence.
He identified the suspects as Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi, adding that the duo had imported consignments of Canadian Loud and colourful designer sachets branded as cookies and snacks to disguise the drugs.
During the operation, officers recovered a large quantity of the designer sachets and 5kg of Loud from their apartment on Ojulari Street.
In a separate Lagos operation, NDLEA operatives arrested 38-year-old drug kingpin, Philip Ucheka, in the Ladipo area of Mushin while he was taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg, and three delivery vehicles used for his distribution network were seized.
At a Lagos courier company, officers intercepted 100 grams of Loud concealed inside a teddy bear imported from Thailand, while at another logistics firm, operatives seized 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in Vitamin C and magnesium bottles destined for the United Kingdom.
Along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway in Oyo State, patrol officers arrested 55-year-old Wasiu Kareem with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine, 590 bottles of codeine syrup, 1,500 Co-codamol pills, and 9,900 tramadol capsules.
In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives raided the Ipe Forest in Akoko South-East LGA and arrested seven suspects—John Ede, Ede Ndubuisi, Ikenna Abe, Eze Chukwuma, Maduabuchi Odo, Nnaji Chudubem and George Okowor—while recovering 3,077kg of skunk.
Along the Okene–Lokoja highway in Kogi State, operatives arrested 49-year-old Anthony Sylvester as he transported 649kg of skunk in a truck.
At Ashipa in the Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos, officers raided a warehouse and arrested 33-year-old Abubakar Shuaibu with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5kg.
On Zaria–Kano Road in Kano State, NDLEA personnel arrested 47-year-old Tsalha Alasan with 137kg of skunk on November 24.
In Bauchi State, operatives arrested three suspects—Godspower Appeal (50), Ernest Upong (55) and Godday Chukwudi (38)—with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209kg in Fanshanu village, Toro LGA, and recovered a black Toyota Highlander (ABJ 533 EA) used to transport the drugs.
Along the Abuja–Jos highway, officers arrested 51-year-old John Ekojo with 210.15kg of skunk on November 29.
Also along the Abuja–Kaduna highway, NDLEA operatives arrested a couple, Abdullahi Abubakar (45) and Jamila Abdullahi (35), with 725 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition concealed inside a sack of maize.
At the Abuja–Kaduna tollgate, officers arrested 20-year-old Awwal Sabiu with 400 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition on November 28.