
06/10/2025
NDLEA Atrests Two Drug Cartels Behind Six Co***ne Shipments
Two major drug cartels behind six co***ne shipments concealed in various items destined for the United Kingdom has successfully uncovered and dismantled by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following the arrest of five suspects, including a a businessman and property developer named as the ring leader, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode.
According to NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the three week intelligence led operations was conducted in Lagos with the first breakthrough occurred on September 16, 2025, when operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport intercepted 174 parcels of co***ne weighing 13.40kg hidden in cocoa butter containers. A cargo agent was immediately arrested, and subsequent investigations led to the apprehension of Ode, who admitted ownership of the drugs valued at over ₦150 million. The suspect, who reportedly spent 27 years in Europe before returning to Nigeria in 2024, was traced and captured with police assistance.The NDLEA also intercepted five other UK-bound co***ne shipments hidden in hair cream and crayfish containers, leading to the arrest of three more suspects, including furniture maker Smith David Korede. The agency also seized 6.3kg of “Loud” cannabis from Thailand concealed in bed sheets and hibiscus flowers.
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