NDLEA Uncovers Drug Syndicates Using Frozen Snails, Electrical Bulbs to Smuggle Narcotics Abroad

…Agency intercepts US, UK, and DRC-bound consignments, destroys 70,650kg of cannabis in forest raids

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted multiple consignments of illicit drugs ingeniously concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and female clothing destined for the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The operations, conducted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, and a courier company in Lagos, also led to several arrests and large-scale drug destructions across different states.

In a statement released on Sunday, 19th October 2025, by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed that the seizures formed part of an intensified nationwide crackdown on narcotics smuggling and abuse.

Among those arrested was Boladale Riliwan, a cargo agent apprehended on 7th October after NDLEA operatives discovered 15 parcels of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, hidden inside 10 pieces of giant rechargeable electrical bulbs. The illegal cargo, packed in a carton and marked for airfreight, was intercepted at the Lagos airport’s export shed en route to the DRC.

Similarly, 48-year-old UK-based Public Health Assistant, Olawale Oyebola Hakeemot, was arrested on 12th October at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of MMIA while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Manchester. NDLEA officers uncovered 2,300 pills of Tramadol 225mg concealed in frozen snails packed in her luggage.

In another operation, NDLEA officers foiled an attempt by a separate syndicate to export 810 pills of bromazepam hidden within female clothes destined for the United States. The discovery was made at a courier company in Lagos on 16th October.

The agency also reported multiple operations across the country leading to significant seizures and arrests. In Adamawa State, a suspect identified as Bello Buba was intercepted at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South LGA, with 38,270 Tramadol pills concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of a Honda Civic. The consignment had been smuggled from the Republic of Benin into Nigeria.

In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 53,250 kilograms of skunk cultivated on 21.3 hectares of farmland in Ilawe Ekiti between 12th and 13th October.

The operation also led to the recovery of 70 bags of skunk weighing 1,140kg and the arrest of three suspects – Matthew Emmanuel (26), James Moses (27), and Israel Samuel (20).

Similarly, in Ondo State, another 17,400 kilograms of cannabis cultivated on 6.96 hectares of land in Aponmu Forest Reserve, Akure, were destroyed on 12th October.

In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives arrested Aliyu Muhammed (50), Babarinde Segun (32), Ogunbiyi Sanjo (30), and Ajani Oluro (30) at Apata-Ako, Igboora, with 596kg of skunk, while Jacob Afolabi (30) and Salako Oluwatobi (25) were caught with 273kg of the same substance at Odo-Oyan, Igangan on 16th October.

The crackdown extended to Ogun State, where Joseph Andrew was arrested with 88kg of skunk at Ona–Imeko on 15th October. In Imo State, Festus Udoh (42) was nabbed with 13,000 opioid pills along the Onitsha–Owerri Road, while in Enugu State, NDLEA operatives seized 74.5kg of skunk from a suspect, Joseph Chukwujamaa, in Umuogbo–Agu village on 18th October.

In Lagos, 11 bags of skunk weighing 117kg were recovered from a suspect, Ramoni Olukowi, in the Mushin area on 18th October.

Furthermore, 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted at the Apapa Port on 14th October during a joint operation with officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies. The container had been placed on a watchlist following intelligence reports linking it to an international trafficking network.

Beyond enforcement, NDLEA formations nationwide continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation programmes across schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities.

Recent campaigns included lectures and advocacy sessions at institutions such as Commercial Grammar School, Igogo-Ekiti; Junior Secondary Smart School, Kasarawa, Katsina; Government Technical College, Ahoada, Rivers; Government Girls Junior Secondary School, Babura, Jigawa; Attarbiyya Community College, Hotoro, Kano; Fuga Mixed Secondary School, Fuga, Edo; St. Cyprian Special Science School, Nsukka, Enugu; and St. Peter’s College, Olomore, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

While commending the officers and men involved in the operations across the MMIA, Apapa, Lagos, Ekiti, Adamawa, Oyo, Enugu, Ogun, Ondo, and Imo Commands, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), lauded their vigilance and professionalism.

He urged them not to relent in sustaining the agency’s balanced approach – combining rigorous enforcement with continuous public education – to curb the menace of drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria.

“These operations underscore the agency’s unwavering commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and protecting Nigerians from the dangers of illicit substances,” Marwa stated.

The NDLEA’s latest success further cements its position as one of Nigeria’s most proactive law enforcement agencies, continuously thwarting innovative attempts by traffickers to bypass security measures and ensuring that both domestic and international drug routes remain under strict surveillance.