ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a sophisticated international drug trafficking network that concealed cocaine inside tins of palm kernel oil destined for the United Kingdom, leading to multiple arrests and the recovery of key operational materials.
The agency disclosed that the breakthrough followed a three-week intelligence-led operation, culminating in the interception of a drug consignment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to a statement by NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the illicit shipment was intercepted on March 11, 2026, at the export shed of the airport.
”The breakthrough came on March 11, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, where NDLEA officers intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside tins of palm kernel extract at the export shed,” the statement read.
The agency revealed that traffickers employed a meticulous concealment method by draining the oil from the tins, inserting the cocaine, and resealing them to appear as legitimate export goods bound for the UK.
Babafemi noted that two suspects, Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin, were arrested at the scene, triggering a chain of follow-up operations that exposed the syndicate.
”Two suspects linked to the shipment, Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin, were arrested at the scene, setting off a chain of operations that exposed the inner workings of the syndicate.”
READ ALSO NDLEA Arrests Brazilian Over 30kg Heroin Smuggling
Further investigations led to the arrest of the sender, Ezemuwo Joel, on April 2, who had been operating under a false identity, providing investigators with critical leads to the alleged mastermind.
The suspected kingpin, 52-year-old King Arinze, was subsequently apprehended at a hideout in the Isolo area of Lagos and taken to his warehouse in Bucknor, where operatives uncovered the scale of the operation.
At the facility, NDLEA officers recovered 886 tins of palm kernel oil prepared for drug concealment, alongside industrial equipment such as sealing machines, tin openers, and paint sprays used to perfect the disguise. Small quantities of cannabis and other incriminating materials were also seized.
Investigators said the suspect admitted to personally coordinating the concealment process, underscoring the level of organisation behind the trafficking network.
Reacting to the development, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, said the operation highlights the agency’s strengthened intelligence capabilities and commitment to dismantling drug cartels.
“These successful operations are a testament to the Agency’s evolving intelligence capabilities and our unwavering commitment to choking the supply lines of drug cartels. Whether they hide behind legitimate businesses, religious titles, or complex concealment methods, we will find them,” Marwa stated.
In related operations across the country, NDLEA operatives intercepted 48,000 tramadol pills along Namtari road in Yola South, Adamawa State, leading to the arrest of a truck driver, Abdulaziz Ismail Korede, and a subsequent arrest of the recipient, Idris Adamu.
In Osun State, a 60-year-old suspect, Idiatu Oladejo, was arrested with 15 kilograms of skunk in Isale Osun, Osogbo, while operatives in Ondo State recovered 351 kilograms of skunk and seeds during a raid in Itaogbolu forest, Akure.
Similarly, in Benue State, 28,600 capsules of tramadol were seized from a 66-year-old suspect, Aminu Usman Gembu, at Aliade.
In Edo State, operatives arrested a suspect, Roland Owie, after recovering 1,378 kilograms of skunk from his warehouse in Egbanke community, Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
In Oyo State, a notorious drug dealer, Ayantola Omodunmomi, also known as Iya Elle, was arrested in Ibadan following intelligence reports that she used her 11-year-old daughter to distribute illicit drugs. A total of 45.6 kilograms of skunk was recovered from her warehouse.