NDLEA Arrests Italy-Bound Businessman With 4.8kg Cocaine Hidden in Shoes, Bags; Seizes N5bn Drugs

By Adebola Muili

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 38-year-old businessman, Philip Tunde, with 4.80 kilogrammes of cocaine allegedly concealed in the soles of shoes and the railings of travelling bags at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The suspect was arrested on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the joint screening point of Terminal 2 of the airport while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy.

According to NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, a search of the suspect’s luggage led to the recovery of 16 parcels hidden in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes, as well as 195 wraps concealed in the railings of four travelling bags.

The substances were tested and confirmed to be cocaine, with a combined weight of 4.80kg.

During interrogation, the suspect allegedly told investigators that he paid N16 million in cash for the cocaine hidden in the shoes, while the consignment concealed in the bags was meant for delivery to his partner in Italy.

He reportedly claimed that he raised the money from compensation paid to him after he sustained an injury while working at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy, where he lost the tips of two fingers.

The airport arrest was among a series of operations conducted by NDLEA operatives across the country, including the seizure of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, and codeine-based cough syrup worth more than N5 billion at the Apapa, Tincan Island and Onne ports.

At Apapa Port, Lagos, NDLEA officers, working with Customs and other stakeholders, recovered 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124kg and valued at N372 million.

The drugs were concealed in two refrigerators and two cartons inside a container shipped from Bangkok, Thailand.

At Onne Port, Rivers State, two watch-listed containers were subjected to joint examination, leading to the recovery of 40 packs of Loud weighing 22kg and 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg.

The agency said the Loud and codeine consignments recovered at the port had a combined street value of N833.2 million.

At the Tincan Island Port, Lagos, NDLEA operatives on September 29 recovered 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5kg from a container shipped from Montreal, Canada.

The consignment, valued at more than N3.8 billion, was concealed in a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Elantra inside the container.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives destroyed 20,234kg of skunk from an 8.0936-hectare cannabis farm at Area 4, Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State, on September 30.

In Plateau State, 41-year-old Agbo Dennis was arrested at West of Mines, Jos North, following the seizure of 33 bags of skunk weighing 385kg.

In Lagos, operatives raided an unoccupied compound at Divine Estate, Ago Palace, on September 28 and recovered 209,000 tablets of tramadol.

A follow-up operation at Ladipo Spare Parts Market led to the arrest of 23-year-old Ekundayo Taiwo after 61 grammes of Colorado and 24 grammes of methamphetamine were intercepted in a waybill package.

In Kogi State, NDLEA officers patrolling the Okene-Lokoja highway intercepted a Lagos-Abuja-bound commuter bus and recovered two sachets of methamphetamine weighing 1kg from a waybill.

The alleged owner of the consignment, 29-year-old Michael Chukwuememka Uzoma, was subsequently arrested at Utako, Abuja.

In Edo State, a raid on the residence of 35-year-old Saturday Omimi at Uyere community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area, led to the recovery of 32.2kg of cannabis sativa.

On the same day, 23-year-old Osazuwa Iyabor Michael was arrested at Auchi Bypass, Benin City, with 59 grammes of Loud, 12 grammes of Colorado, 19 grammes of tramadol, 16 grammes of methamphetamine, four grammes of Swinol and four grammes of Molly.

The agency also announced the arrest of 47-year-old Idris Mohammed Kurra, who had allegedly been on the run for six years after jumping bail.

Kurra was facing trial before the Federal High Court, Jos, Plateau State, over alleged possession and dealing in 198kg of skunk when he reportedly jumped bail granted to him in December 2020.

He was arrested by NDLEA operatives on September 29, 2026.

The agency said its commands and formations also sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities during the week, reaching students, worshippers, workers and residents in different communities.

The sensitisation programmes were held in schools including St. Paul’s Secondary School, Oji, Enugu; Olu-Odo Primary School, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos; Government Junior Secondary School, Tsamiya, Kano; Christ’s School, Ado Ekiti; and Government Science Secondary School, Lokoja, Kogi State.

Reacting to the operations, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers and men of the agency for their professionalism and intelligence-driven operations.

Marwa urged personnel across the country to sustain the pressure against drug trafficking networks while maintaining the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.