NDLEA Smashes Cocaine Carrels Behind 6 UK-bound Shipments, Arrests Arrowhead, 5 Others

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have

dismantled two major drug cartels behind six different consignments of cocaine concealed in walls of stainless cups, body cream and hair gel containers.

The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said the operation was successful as a result of series of intelligence led operations that lasted over three weeks across Lagos, and led to the arrest of five suspects and ultimately the arrowhead of the syndicate, Alhaji Hammed Ode who parades himself as a businessman and real estate developer.

Babafemi said the beginning of the end of the criminal syndicate’s operations began on 16th September 2025 when NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.40 kilogrammes concealed in walls of cocoa butter body cream containers, which led to a prompt arrest of a cargo agent.

The spokesman said further investigations revealed Alhaji Hammed Ode as the mastermind of the shipment and after weeks of intelligence, it was established that the alleged drug baron had reported a dispute at the Zone 2 headquarters of the Police in Lagos, after which the agency sought the cooperation of the police to get the suspect into custody.

Babafemi said during his preliminary interrogation, Ode admitted ownership of the consignment which he claimed he bought at over N150 million. He claimed to be a businessman and estate developer following his return from the United Kingdom in 2024. He had lived for over 27 years in many European countries including Austria, Netherlands, France, Germany, and Asian country, Saudi Arabia before settling in the UK.

Babafemi said in like manner, five other desperate attempts by another criminal syndicate to export cocaine consignments to the United Kingdom were also thwarted by operatives of the MMIA Strategic Command of NDLEA.

He disclosed that the unravelling of the gang started on 26th September following the seizure of 2.1 kilogrammes cocaine concealed in walls of hair cream containers at the export shed of the Lagos airport.

He said the apprehension of a cargo agent led to the arrest of the consignor, Smith Korede, a furniture maker, last Tuesday at his 3 Arowojobe street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos base where another consignment of 1.4 kilogrammes cocaine meant for export to the UK was recovered from him.

He said same day, another consignment of 1 kilogramme cocaine with similar mode of concealment also going to the UK was intercepted at the export shed of the airport. The cargo agent arrested in connection with the 1 kilogramme cocaine also identified Smith Korede as the consignor, bringing to three the number of seized cocaine consignments linked to the suspect.

He disclosed that two other cocaine laden consignments going to the UK were also intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the MMIA last Thursday, adding that two suspects: Ogunbiyi Taiwo and Popoola Olumuyiwa linked to the seizures were promptly arrested.

He said one of the consignments contains crayfish, and 12 pieces of stainless cups used to conceal 1 kilogramme cocaine while the second consignment also contains crayfish, and 36 containers of hair cream used to conceal 1.6 kilogrammes of cocaine.

Babafemi said the bid by another criminal gang to smuggle into Lagos 6.3 kilogrammes of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in bedsheet and hibiscus flower from Thailand was equally thwarted by NDLEA operatives attached to some courier companies, while a joint operation between NDLEA officers and Customs Service personnel at a check point along Danbatta-Daura road, Kano, last Thursday led to the arrest of 38-year-old Sa’adu Ali and seizure of 290,450 pills of tramadol 250mg and pregabalin capsules.

He said in Lagos, a notorious drug dealer John Igbe, operating under the nickname: SammyBless to distribute illicit drugs in Lekki and Ajah axis, was last Tuesday arrested at Admiralty road, Lekki, adding that at the time of his arrest, 550 grammes of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, packaged in retail plastic cups, were recovered from him. Three other suspects: Idris Lukman; Fuad Abdulsalam and Mobolaji James were nabbed same day in Mushin area of the state, with 109 kilogrammes skunk, 20 bottles of codeine syrup and 2 kilogrammes of nitrous oxide seized from them. At the Trade Fair Complex, Alaba area of the state, 3,700 bottles of codeine syrup and 550,000 caplets of expired 225mg diclofenac were recovered.

He said while a total of 27,700 pills of tramadol 100mg/225mg were seized from a suspect Salisu Abubakar, 25, at Bode Saadu, Morro local government area, Kwara state last Monday, Blessing Ovaka, 50, was caught with 498.5 kilogrammes skunk at Kudandan, Chukun local government area, Kaduna, same day, just as Dahiru Salisu, 27, was arrested in possession of 34,180 capsules of tramadol at Gwargwaje along Kaduna – Zaria road last Thursday.

In Ogun state, NDLEA operatives last Monday raided Isheri, Obafemi Owode local government area, where a suspect, Abubakar Audu, was arrested with 112 kilogrammes skunk and 16 grammes of tramadol. Three suspects: Chuimieze Shedrack, 28; Sunday John, 25, and Solomon Okopko, 27, were nabbed by NDLEA officers last Thursday at Owena/Ijesha forest reserve, Osun state where they destroyed 14,000 kilogrammes skunk on 5.6 hectares of cannabis plantation and recovered 142 kilogrammes of same psychoactive substance.

In Edo, NDLEA operatives last Wednesday intercepted a Toyota Sienna vehicle marked KUJ 47 NW loaded with 22 bags of skunk weighing 244.5 kilogrammes at Igbanke, Orhionwon local government area and a suspect Ineh Obindi, 28, arrested. A total of 10,897.35 kilogrammes skunk was destroyed on four farms measuring 4.358938 hectares at Ugbodo forest, Ovia North East local government area, lasf Friday, with two suspects: Michael Ayang, 40, and Bernard New Year, (a.ka Don), 47, arrested, with not less than 223.5 kilogrammes processed cannabis and seeds recovered from the farms.

Babafemi said operatives on patrol along Okene/Lokoja highway intercepted a waybill parcel coming from Lagos to Abuja containing 3.272 kilogrammes Loud and a sachet of Colorado. A follow up operation at Gwagwalada park in Abuja led to the arrest of the owner, Tobi Odubote, 34, while another suspect Ismail Abdurrahim, 32, was arrested in possession of 25.5 kilogrammes skunk along Abaji- Abuja expressway last Thursday.

He said in like manner, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) has promised that: “We’ll continue to target and dismantle every identified drug cartel at every level of their operations; from the mules to the dealers in between and up to their leadership. These successful operations should serve as a warning that NDLEA will not relent until the threat posed by the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking is eliminated because every arrest, seizure and assets forfeited by the criminal syndicates signifies innocent lives saved and communities protected either here in Nigeria or in other jurisdictions”,

He commended the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, Kano, Edo, Kwara, Kaduna, Ogun, Osun, Kogi and FCT commands as well as their compatriots across the country for their tenacity, professionalism and balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.

NDLEA Smashes Cocaine Carrels Behind 6 UK-bound Shipments, Arrests Arrowhead, 5 Others