NDLEA Busts Drug Syndicates, Intercepts Cocaine Hidden in Lipsticks, Property Documents
…Recovers $17.7m in counterfeit travellers’ cheques, dismantles family-run drug cartel, and arrests notorious kingpin ‘Warri Kinsman’
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major breakthrough in its anti-narcotics campaign, intercepting illicit drugs concealed in seemingly innocuous items like lipsticks and property documents, while also dismantling major drug syndicates operating across several states.
In a dramatic sting operation at a courier company in Lagos on Thursday, 3rd July 2025, operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) of the NDLEA recovered a total of 700 grams of cocaine destined for the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.
The drugs were ingeniously concealed — 420 grams hidden inside 84 pieces of female lipsticks en route to the UK, and 280 grams tucked within a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) being shipped to Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, in what appears to be a decisive blow to a major drug cartel, NDLEA operatives arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as ‘Warri Kinsman’, on Saturday, 28th June in Ikeja, Lagos.
His arrest followed a well-coordinated three-day operation that also led to the capture of three other suspects and the recovery of 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a potent cannabis strain weighing 414.2 kilograms. Intelligence revealed that the shipment was being moved to the Lekki area of Lagos for onward distribution across the country.
In another operation, the Agency uncovered a family-run drug network led by businessman Ajah Johnson Uchenna and his wife Rosemary Uchenna, who were initially arrested on Friday, 13th June with 277.5kg of skunk.
Further investigation prompted a raid on their home and storage facility on Tuesday, 1st July, where an additional 231kg of skunk was found. Arrested alongside were their daughters Stella, Ngozi, and Blessing Uchenna, and a family friend, Okoro Elijah, all of whom were actively involved in the illicit trade.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, another suspect, Aburemi Hysent, a frequent flyer, was arrested on Wednesday, 2nd July while attempting to smuggle 7,660 pills of Tramadol (225mg and 200mg) concealed in food items to Italy. He confessed that he was promised €800 for successfully delivering the drugs.
In a separate operation at the MMIA, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 4th July intercepted 52 counterfeit travellers’ cheques worth $17.7 million Australian dollars, hidden inside children’s books headed for Malaysia via Istanbul.
A freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, has been arrested and the matter handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.
In Badagry, operatives recovered 718 large balls of skunk weighing 359kg from a store in Baba-Pupa on Saturday, 5th July. Along the Okene-Lokoja highway, 10,000 pills of tramadol, co-codamol, and over 1kg of Colorado (synthetic cannabis) were seized, leading to the arrest of Chinedu Odo, Samuel Ogbonna, and Kingsley Ugaji in Abuja during follow-up raids.
In Osun State, multiple operations led to the arrest of eight suspects and the recovery of over 62,000 pills and ampoules of opioids from locations in Osogbo and Ile-Ife. A major cannabis farmland measuring 9.67 hectares was destroyed in Ikaka, Oke-Ila forest, where seven suspects were also apprehended.
In other states:
Borno: 167kg of skunk was recovered in Gamboru-Ngala.
Kano: 452kg of skunk seized at Gadar Tamburawa with two arrests.
Kaduna-Abuja expressway: 11,000 pills of tramadol seized from Sule Ibrahim Sadiq.
Sokoto: 62-year-old Joseph Onungene arrested with 4,800 tramadol pills.
Kebbi: NDLEA stormed a Yauri base, seizing 312kg of skunk and 10,000 diazepam tablets.
Taraba: Two suspects, Chigbo Okolo and Ishaku Musa, arrested with nearly 50,000 tramadol capsules.
Edo: Three suspects arrested in Owan West LGA, along with a wanted dealer Alaba Monday, found with 115kg of skunk.
Cross River: 78-year-old Mike Abeng was caught with 14.49kg of skunk and tramadol in Obubra LGA.
In addition to enforcement operations, the NDLEA also intensified advocacy through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative. Sensitisation programmes were held at schools and communities in Enugu, Lagos, Katsina, and Borno States.
Commending the efforts of his men, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), lauded officers across various commands for maintaining a balanced focus on both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction.
He urged continued vigilance and commitment in the national fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
