NDLEA Busts Drug Syndicates, Seizes Opioids Hidden in Carton Walls, Jackets, Cream at Lagos Airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has foiled multiple attempts by drug trafficking organisations to smuggle illicit substances concealed in unusual items including carton walls, winter jackets and body cream containers, following a series of coordinated operations across several states and at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

The interceptions were made by operatives at the Lagos airport and a courier facility, where consignments of methamphetamine, opioids and cannabis destined for Europe and other countries were recovered.

At the Lagos airport, two suspects linked to drug shipments bound for Italy were arrested. One of them, 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka, was intercepted on Friday, March 20, 2026, while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Rome with 2,698 pills of tramadol concealed inside containers of skin-lightening body cream packed in his luggage. The suspect, who resides in Milan, Italy, admitted he was promised payment in euros upon successful delivery.

In a separate operation on March 18, NDLEA operatives arrested another passenger, Christian Agbonhese, at the departure hall of the airport while he was about to board a Lufthansa Airlines flight to Milan. A search of his luggage revealed 28,470 pills of opioids, including tramadol and tapentadol, hidden inside two large winter jackets. The suspect is also said to be based in Milan.

At a courier company in Lagos, officers intercepted two parcels of a strong strain of cannabis known as Loud, weighing about one kilogram, shipped from the United States. Another parcel containing 158 grams of methamphetamine concealed in the walls of a carton and bound for New Zealand was also seized.

Operations across the country led to more recoveries. In Kano State, operatives arrested two suspects with over 198 kilograms of skunk at different locations. In Lagos, more than 21,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from a store in the Otto area of Ijora, while two suspects were arrested on the Third Mainland Bridge with over 8,000 bottles of the same substance.

In Edo State, 97.5 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a suspect’s residence in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area. In the Federal Capital Territory, officers intercepted a commercial bus along the Gwagwalada expressway and discovered over 91,000 pills of tramadol hidden in body compartments of the vehicle, leading to the arrest of the driver.

In Oyo State, a suspect was arrested with more than 70 kilograms of skunk allegedly smuggled into Nigeria through a river route from a neighbouring country. In Kaduna, Taraba and Adamawa states, large quantities of tramadol were also seized in separate operations, with several suspects taken into custody following intelligence-led raids.

The agency also continued its nationwide War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign in schools, workplaces, worship centres and communities across different states during the week.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended officers involved in the operations and urged commands nationwide to sustain the balanced strategy of enforcement and public enlightenment in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.