NDLEA intercepts Italy-bound businessman with cocaine consignments

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 38-year-old businessman in Lagos, Philip Tunde, who was attempting to smuggle 4.80kg of cocaine into Italy. Tunde was apprehended at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on September 27, 2026, as he was about to board a flight to Milan via Royal Air Maroc. The NDLEA recovered 16 parcels of white powder concealed in the soles of eight pairs of shoes and 195 wraps hidden in the railings of four traveling bags.

During questioning, Tunde admitted that he paid N16 million for the cocaine concealed in the shoes, while the bags contained a consignment intended for delivery to his partner in Italy. He claimed he had obtained the funds from compensation after sustaining an injury while working at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy, where he lost part of two fingers.

In addition to Tunde's arrest, NDLEA operatives also intercepted large consignments of illicit drugs at various ports across Nigeria. At Apapa Port, they seized 161 parcels of Thai cannabis, weighing 124kg and valued at N372 million, concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons. At Onne Port, 40 packs of cannabis weighing 22kg and 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg were recovered, with a combined street value of N833.2 million.

At Tin Can Island Port, 2,595 parcels of Canadian cannabis weighing 1,297.5kg were seized, valued at over N3.8 billion.

In other operations, NDLEA busted a cannabis farm in Osun State, arresting 20,234kg of skunk from 8.0936 hectares. They also arrested a 41-year-old suspect in Plateau State for trafficking 33 bags of skunk weighing 385kg. Additionally, the agency seized 209,000 tablets of tramadol, 61g of Colorado cannabis, and 24g of methamphetamine from a compound in Lagos, and intercepted a Lagos-Abuja commercial bus containing two sachets of methamphetamine weighing 1kg in Kogi State.